《Advent of the Apocalypse (Jaco: A Druid LitRPG) [Stubbing Book 2 on the 14th]》


 Chapter 1:

    ¡°It¡¯s almost complete. I just need to kill you, and I¡¯ll finally be done,¡± a young man muttered to himself. His brow was already covered in sweat as he tightened his grip around his implement. For now, there was only one more threat that remained. His foe was a foul thing, Convolvulus arvensis. Otherwise known as field bindweed, it was a truly pesky weed. One that had dominated the local area¡¯s vegetation. Its vines would prove a threat to his endeavors if not thoroughly dealt with.


    Jaco wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was time to get to work to kill it once and for all. He swung down his tool, starting by hacking off its outermost bits first. He¡¯d slowly make his way to the center while ripping the entire thing apart. His goal today was to give it no chance to ever return.


    ¡°There, that should do it.¡± Jaco sat back to take a sip from his water bottle. With the last weed now dead, his garden would be safe. But he¡¯d need to be ever vigilant, for they could just as easily return at any time. With a satisfied sigh, he took a moment to take it all in.


    Since Jaco had moved here not long ago, he¡¯d kept himself busy. It was hard work to start a garden right after moving into a new home, but it was worth it. With his house next to a small forest at the edge of the neighborhood, he had his fair share of privacy. It meant that Jaco still hadn¡¯t really gotten to know his neighbors, but there was a small lake nearby.


    If his memory served him correctly, one could catch fish at it. Perhaps if he decided to take up fishing, he could get to know whoever was also there. It¡¯d be easy enough for him to go to and from the lake. After all, it was only a few minutes¡¯ walk away from him. But all in all, Jaco felt that this neighborhood would be the perfect place for a fresh start. Here, he could be at peace and just enjoy a quiet, content life-.


    To all of humanity, the time of cataclysm has come.


    The Gates of Hell have been broken down.


    For your own survival, seek shelter immediately.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Jaco exclaimed.


    He stared at the golden screen that had just appeared in front of him. Mere moments after reading its ominous message, the earth started to shake. It was a minor tremor at first, but it quickly gained strength. Jaco let go of his water bottle as he dropped to the ground. He heard something fall and shatter from inside his home, but he barely even registered it. But then just as quickly as the shaking had arrived, it was suddenly gone.


    Slowly, Jaco wearily stood back up. He looked up from the ground and at the horizon. From the hill his home was on, he had a good view of the city. It was thanks to this vantage point that he¡¯d be lucky enough to see what was coming next. From seemingly nowhere, a fireball exploded out from the city¡¯s center.


    The blast quickly expanded in all directions, engulfing everything in its path. Buildings, cars, and people were equally consumed by the flames as they only continued to spread. But Jaco had no time to consider the fate of the countless people who were caught in it. Because at this point, he had already begun to run.


    He had no idea just how large the explosion¡¯s fireball would end up being. Jaco ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Too panicked to think of anything else, his only idea was to reach the lake. To get to the sweet idea of its water protecting him from the heat and flames.


    A few seconds after starting his sprint, he heard the explosion. Or rather, he felt its boom. The windows of his home shattered from the thundering roar. A shrill ring filled Jaco¡¯s ears as the pressure wave knocked him to the ground.


    His body skidded against the street. The fall tore up parts of his shirt and jeans. Blood had already begun to ooze from his worst scrapes. But he didn¡¯t register it or feel any pain. All his adrenaline-filled mind focused on was still the lake. He had to get up and keep running. Staying down for even a second too long could mean the difference between life and death. Jaco stumbled back up to his feet and renewed his mad dash.


    At no point did he ever dare to turn around and look back. Yet he could hear the sound of heavy breathing and frantic steps against the pavement. It seemed like someone else was running behind him. They were still a good distance behind him, but Jaco didn¡¯t have the capacity to think about it further. He just ran and ran for what seemed like both an instant and an eternity. But finally, the life-giving body of water was within sight.


    Jaco made a running jump straight into the lake. As soon as he was deep enough, he dived under its surface. But he did so too quickly and hadn¡¯t even thought about taking a big enough breath. So mere seconds later, he was forced to resurface for air.


    It was then that he finally got a good look at the one who¡¯d been running behind him. It was one of his neighbors, an older man whose name he couldn¡¯t remember. When Jaco first moved here, the man had done a few annoying things like park on the wrong side of the street or blast loud music in the middle of the night. But such past grievances already seemed childish in the face of the current disaster.


    He watched as the man was still at the lake¡¯s edge. But instead of running straight in like him, he was still busy taking off his clothes. Jaco yelled for him to hurry up and get in the water. He didn¡¯t know if his scream was actually said aloud or just in his head. But either way, it didn¡¯t matter. For the fireball still hungered for even more to consume, and it had just reached them. Seeing the inferno, he quickly swam even further into the lake. The only place he could feel remotely safe would be at its centermost point.


    Even with just his head out of the water, Jaco still felt the wave of blistering heat. But as he fled even further in, the young man looked back.


    As the flames reached his neighbor, the man flailed as he only then dropped into the lake. But it was far too shallow by the shore to offer any real protection. In a display Jaco couldn¡¯t make himself look away from, he watched as water steamed off the man¡¯s body. His neighbor screamed as his hair was then set aflame. He tried to roll around in the water to put it out, but to no avail. As a wave of fire surged around the man, he became no more than a writhing outline in the blaze.


    But the explosive inferno didn¡¯t stop at the lake¡¯s edge. Even over the water, it continued to surge. Before the air could become too hot to breathe, Jaco inhaled as much air as he could and dived back down. When he was deep enough to touch the lakebed, he looked up. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The water above him was lit up by red and orange light. Perhaps it was simply his paranoid mind imagining things, but it was starting to feel warmer. As the flames roared overhead, he could swear the water¡¯s temperature was slowly climbing up.


    He could only pray that it wouldn¡¯t get too hot. Between burning and boiling alive, he didn¡¯t want to know which would be worse. The young man hoped that he¡¯d experience neither today. He continued to hold his breath and wait for the blaze to finally be over.


    After a few minutes passed, the flames finally disappeared from sight. But even then Jaco didn¡¯t dare chance it. So he continued to persevere and pushed his body to its very limit. It was only when the world started to become dark that he finally swam up.


    Jaco gasped for air the moment his head reached the surface. His panting was shallow and rapid. Even now, it still seemed like he could potentially pass out at any second. But by some miracle he remained conscious. After some time, he was eventually able to normalize his breathing. Now that his mind was calm, Jaco simply treaded water as he registered everything that had just happened.


    I¡­ I don¡¯t even know what to think. Where did that explosion even come from, a nuke? No wait, that''s right! There was the golden screen that popped out of nowhere. Just a few seconds ahead of time, it warned me about the blast.


    Jaco thought about the exact wording of that mysterious message. How it claimed that the Gates of Hell had broken down. But that couldn¡¯t be the reality behind what just happened, could it? But frankly, Jaco currently didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore.


    Unfortunately, something he did know was that he couldn¡¯t stay in the lake forever. Who knew what kind of state the rest of the city was currently in. There had to be survivors. He had to see if there was someone, anyone that he could help. People might be trapped under a pile of rubble, or could be injured and need first aid.


    Jaco began to swim back to the shore. As he did so, the rush of adrenaline was already dying down. He winced as pain shot out across his body. When he reached land, he took a moment to give himself a once-over for any injuries. It was then that Jaco realized the water had indeed become dangerously hot.


    Across his hands and arms were various patches of red, blistered skin. Most of it looked like they were only first-degree burns. However, some spots definitely looked worse off and were probably in the second degree. The burns probably weren¡¯t just limited to his arms, since he could feel the pain setting in all around. But even if it hurt, he could still consider himself lucky to get away with just this much.


    Jaco glanced over to the side. Still curled up in a ball was the charred corpse of what used to be his neighbor. Jaco felt his stomach twisting into a knot. He forced himself to look away from the body before he became sick. The young man instead turned to survey the city. Even from where he stood, he was still able to see most of the explosion¡¯s immediate aftermath.


    For the city itself, to say it was a mess would be a massive understatement. The fireball had seemingly lost some power the farther out it expanded. He noted that it was a relatively small area that had been reduced to just a crater. But that was a small comfort when the rest of the city was a collection of flaming ruins. He could hardly believe it had been so full of life just several minutes ago. Now there were just ongoing fires and smoke everywhere.


    Fully engrossed in the horror in the distance, Jaco almost didn¡¯t hear something begin to move near him. He quickly turned to the source of the noise, and his eyes widened. For the burnt husk of his former neighbor should have just been a dead, lifeless body. And yet, right before him, it was standing back up.


    Completely dumbfounded by this impossible sight, Jaco was momentarily frozen in place. But the moving corpse didn¡¯t just stop at standing, as it then lunged directly for him.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Jaco cried.


    Fear snapped him back to his senses. He turned to flee from the body as it raised its arms up and swung at him. He only made it a few paces away, however. As when he tried to run, pain suddenly flared from his left ankle. Shocked by the unexpected agony, Jaco tripped over himself. As he fell to the ground, the dead body¡¯s hands raked across his back. Both his shirt and the skin underneath were torn from being clawed at.


    The young man gritted his teeth as he tried to kick the corpse away from him. It was a terrifying sight. A burnt husk of a body, seemingly so frail, and yet with overwhelming strength. It pinned him down as he screamed in horror, flailing with his legs.


    His own hands were busy trying to grab anything to use as a weapon. Searing pain shot out from his thigh as his neighbor struck it, clutching onto his torso. He bit back the pain, driven only by adrenaline. When he felt a large rock, Jaco didn¡¯t hesitate to take it and throw the stone directly at his assailant¡¯s head. The force of the blow was enough to stagger the thing, loosening its grip over him.


    He scrambled back to his feet and rushed to grab the rock again, propelled by instinct alone. He couldn¡¯t stop to think¡ª he had to act. He swung it directly at the corpse¡¯s torso. He felt its chest buckle and partially collapse underneath the hit. But even as it fell, he didn¡¯t stop swinging. Jaco dropped to his knees over its crushed chest. He smashed the stone directly into the front of its skull. Again, again, and again he struck it. He didn¡¯t stop until its head was reduced to nothing but a pile of ash.


    Sweat dripping off his chin and blood pouring out his wounds, Jaco¡¯s grip loosened. He absently dropped the stone and stood up. He no longer wanted to scream. He could barely even think. He was only able to take a couple of steps away before the wooziness forced him to sit back down. Jaco heaved as he stared up at the smoke-filled sky. Then directly above him, a golden screen once again popped into existence.


    He stared at the words hovering before him. And out of sheer exhaustion, he could only repeat himself again for the third time today, ¡°What the fuck?!¡±


    EXP Earned!


    The slaying of an undead humanoid has granted you Experience Points, or EXP for short.


    Level Up!


    Level 1 to Level 2


    Gaining enough EXP has granted an increase to your Level. Increasing one¡¯s Level gives various boosts to enhance their chances of survival, such as an improvement to Stats.


    Greetings and welcome to the Apocalypse. What you are seeing now is a System tasked with aiding humanity.


    Your current main objective: Survive


    General Info:


    Species: Human


    Level: 2


    Class: N/A


    Stats:


    Strength: 11


    Agility: 8


    Endurance: 12


    Will: 10


    Spell Power: 0


    Unspent Points: 5


    Class Abilities:


    N/A


    <blockquote>


    Note from the author:


    Hello everyone, just to give a further idea of what to expect from this story.


    Me and Melas already have plenty of content written ahead of time, so no need to worry about chapters suddenly running out or a hiatus. But as for the story itself, it''s a weak to strong progression fantasy with the MC gaining an interesting skillset and powers that''ll grow as he climbs up the Apocalypse''s food chain.


    So look forward to following Jaco in his rise to get powerful enough to push back against anything the forces of Hell might throw at him!


    </blockquote>

 Chapter 2:

    Utterly confused, Jaco could hardly grasp the message in front of his face. Levels, Experience Points, and a System? What was this, some sort of nightmare based on video games? He shook his head, he had to just be dreaming at that point. But before he could even finish processing it all, a new screen suddenly appeared.


    Note: The following is a pre-written message.


    I greet all those who remain amongst the humans of Earth. I am an Angel of Heaven. And today, I come with both a dire warning and the most sincere apologies for what your kind will now have to shoulder.


    For countless eons, Heaven has acted as creation¡¯s bulwark against the dark forces of Hell. Across these many years, we Angels have protected humanity from demonkind¡¯s eternally grasping talons. Such was their ferocity, that new Angels were constantly constructed and sent to war by our Creator.


    But-


    ¡°No, there¡¯s just no way. The Creator, as in¡­ God?¡± Jaco muttered in disbelief. There were still more words on the golden screen, but he just had to pause there.


    He refused to believe that any of this was reality. He didn¡¯t want to believe in some sort of divine war between Heaven and Hell. The young man closed his eyes and rubbed his fingers against them. He then blinked a few times, but the message was still there. He pinched his thigh, and slapped himself across the cheek. The young man continued to try everything else he could think of. If this truly was all just a bad dream, it was a damn hard one to wake up from.


    He eventually glanced back at the screen. Even after his futile attempts to wake up, it still patiently hung in the air. After another moment¡¯s hesitation, he decided to keep reading.


    -not long ago, our Creator disappeared without warning. With the creation of Angels suddenly halted, our numbers quickly dwindled. We were unable to hold back Hell¡¯s advance. And today, we have failed you by being unable to stop the demonic incursion into the mortal world. With us Angels now driven to the brink of extinction, I must regretfully admit that we are powerless to intervene directly. Yet do not despair, for Heaven has not abandoned humanity.


    As one of the few remaining Seraphim, I and those who are left have collected our efforts to aid mankind another way. We have granted you a System, one that will give a Sheet to let you grow. Through this, humanity might have the power to survive this Hellish calamity.


    However, I must be clear that your situation is already very grim. In just the opening act of this Apocalypse, over half of all humankind has already perished. For my final words, I can only again express my regret for having failed you.


    Note: To dismiss this screen, please swipe in any direction.


    ¡°Half of all humankind. Half,¡± Jaco repeated the statement. He tried to imagine it, to envision that around four billion people were already dead. But he simply couldn¡¯t, and was left at a loss of both words and any tangible thoughts. Meekly, he followed the note and swiped the golden screen out of existence. But as soon as it disappeared, a new one immediately took its place.


    New Classes Available:


    Warrior


    Scout


    Martial Artist


    Mage


    Jaco barely registered the options presented to him. There was an option to have the System expound upon them, but he didn¡¯t care. Still in a daze, he just dismissed the screen and stumbled away from the lake.


    The young man winced with each step. Every time the wind shifted, his various burns stung anew. But he didn¡¯t care to stop, and so he pushed on through the pain. Smoke still hung in the air as large fires still raged on across the area. Avoiding the parts of the neighborhood still aflame, he absentmindedly trudged back to his house.


    Yet when he arrived there, even the comforts of home were denied to him. What was once a house and a wonderful young garden were just ruins. The building itself was now no more than a pile of rubble. Jaco reached down to grab a single brick, staring down at it. But just a moment later, his grip weakened and let it fall back into the debris.


    His thoughts led to those he knew before moving here. According to the message, there was a fifty-fifty chance that both his friends and family had died. The young man¡¯s stomach twisted at the idea as he suddenly felt woozy. He fell down to his hands and knees, and retched. Jaco heaved and gagged, but nothing came out except for spit.


    After some time of being unable to throw up, Jaco just sniveled. Tears streamed down his cheeks and dripped off his chin. Each droplet disappeared into the ash-covered ground as they fell. But eventually, he sat back up and wiped the dried tears from his face.


    As the young man continued to stare out of the ruins of his former home, that¡¯s when he heard it. A terrible rattling and scraping that made him wince. The sound seemed to come from all around from multiple sources, and they were only getting louder by the second.


    ¡°What the,¡± He immediately stood up and frantically looked around. But it only took a moment for him to see them.


    Dozens more undead were slowly shambling their way in his direction. However, unlike the charred corpses of his undead, these ones were completely skeletal. Their bones were covered with soot and ash. But even through it, he could see that a number of them had cracks or chunks missing from their bones. Their sudden appearance was enough to break Jaco from his stupor and snap him back to reality.


    As he continued to stare at the Skeletons, one of them looked up from the ground. Its empty sockets locked with his living eyes. A bead of sweat traveled down Jaco¡¯s face as he didn¡¯t dare make any sudden movements. He slowly took a step back, and a bit of debris shifted underneath his foot. The undead turned its head toward the sky and opened its jaw with a silent scream. Somehow, the others understood this call. The horde then collectively surged straight for him. They were still a fair distance away, but it wouldn¡¯t take them long to close the gap.


    ¡°Oh Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± Jaco cried out. His thoughts returned back to the screen from just a moment ago. Perhaps that could have saved him. However, he couldn¡¯t focus on it long enough to summon the screen once again. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He had to run. With nowhere else to go, he rushed for the pile of rubble. Maybe if he could get over the top and to the other side, he¡¯d find a spot to hide. He climbed over the debris as quickly as possible. He swore through his teeth as a shard of glass stabbed itself into his arm. But Jaco could hear the Skeletons already starting to clamber up from the bottom of the hill of rubble. He glanced back at them and swore again. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long until they were on him.


    From the pile, he grabbed a piece of wood. Jaco¡¯s heart pounded furiously inside of his chest. If he couldn¡¯t get away, then there was no choice but to fight. One after another, they shambled up the hill. With the elevation and uneven footing, it slowed their movements down just enough.


    Letting out a guttural scream, he rushed for the nearest Skeleton. He swung the large stick sideways and into the undead¡¯s ribcage. The young man grimaced as he felt the force of the impact reverberate in his hands.


    But from the hit, he immediately noticed that the Skeleton was actually quite light. Enough so that the single hit was enough to knock it back down the small hill. It tumbled down the pile, its body rolling and bumping against the rubble. When its skull did one last smack into the rocks against the body, the Skeleton didn¡¯t get back up.


    EXP Earned!


    That was one of them down, now there were just a few dozen more left to go.


    Okay, I can do this. I can do this! Jaco chanted to himself. Despite the self-assurance, his legs were still shaking from the nerves. It was do-or-die time, but at least he could do something with the high ground. As long as he carefully went after them one at a time, then maybe he¡¯d survive.


    The next Skeleton was already near him. One of its ribs was already cracked, so Jaco aimed straight for it. Once again he swung the stick and smashed it straight into the undead¡¯s ribcage. The bone snapped off from the force of the blow as it too was thrown off the debris pile.


    EXP Earned!


    Jaco¡¯s heart raced as adrenaline coursed throughout his body. He felt the stick splinter into his palms with each hit. Slowly and carefully, he managed his spacing between them. When the timing was right, he knocked them back with a hit. He sent down a third Skeleton, then the fourth and fifth.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    Level Up!


    Level 2 to Level 3


    Each one was fragile enough to be killed by tumbling down and hitting their skulls against the rocks below. But Jaco could feel himself starting to get worn down. His prior burns and cuts still ached. All the running from before and constant tension made his muscles scream for a break. Even the air itself hurt to breathe from all the ash and smoke.


    But at that moment, all he could feel was the rush of every swing. If he mistimed even one strike and let them counter, that could easily be it for him. A chunk of his fear and terror almost seemed to melt away with each undead he slew. In its place, an almost indescribable feeling had started to take shape.


    Jaco felt the surge of adrenaline refresh itself with each Skeleton he confronted. Every time the System showed that he had earned EXP, he felt his confidence grow. After killing a few more, the screen appeared to show that he gained another Level. Levels! That was the key! With those Level Ups, Jaco had felt himself grow just a bit stronger. He even seemed even get slightly less tired.


    When there was a gap between the wave of Skeletons, Jaco dared to reopen his Sheet. At that second he wasn¡¯t even sure exactly how he did it. Only that the moment he willed for it, the golden screen appeared before him.


    General Info:


    Species: Human


    Level: 4


    Class: N/A


    Stats:


    Strength: 13


    Agility: 10


    Endurance: 14


    Will: 12


    Spell Power: 0


    Unspent Points: 15


    Class Abilities:


    N/A


    Unlike the Class options he was given, his Sheet appeared before him without needing to focus or concentrate. Or maybe he was focusing right now¡ª he didn¡¯t know. All he knew was that for every Stat but Spell Power, he quickly confirmed that they had increased with his Level. But he also now noticed there was a tiny plus sign for just those four Stats too. Before the next undead could reach him, Jaco mashed his finger to increase them.


    Right now what he definitely needed was more Strength and Endurance. While Will seemed like it wouldn¡¯t help much in this situation. So he focused on those two and only left a couple of Points for Agility. Within seconds he had already spent all fifteen available Points.


    With the boost to Stats, a wave of pure euphoria washed over the young man. Suddenly, the injuries he suffered didn¡¯t bother him nearly as much as before. He swung at the next Skeleton and smashed the stick straight against its head. Both the undead¡¯s skull and his weapon shattered from the force of the impact. Yet breaking his club didn¡¯t bother him in the slightest. Instead, Jaco just felt satisfaction from how much stronger that swing had felt. It had felt good, really good.


    Without him realizing it, a grin formed across his face. Jaco tossed away what was left of the stick and grabbed another from the pile. He stared down at the rest of the Skeletons that dared try to climb up his former house.


    That¡¯s right, this was his home. He would be damned if he let a bunch of undead kill him here. Even if half of humanity was already dead, Jaco would still fight for it and himself. Hell, even if he was already the last human alive, he wouldn¡¯t lie down and die. No, he vowed to himself that he¡¯d go down kicking and screaming. This was still his world, and if some Angels or even the Creator couldn¡¯t defend it, then he would to the very end.


    ¡°Come on!" Jaco yelled. He dared for the next one to hurry up and try him. All nerves gone, his legs were now firmly planted into the hill. The young man kept his grip tight and swung as another Skeleton climbed up.


    Level Up!


    Level 9 to Level 10


    With the last of the Skeletons now slain, it was finally over. Jaco¡¯s hands trembled as he let what remained of his current stick fall to the ground. It wasn¡¯t from fear that they shook, but simply the result of the feedback from each swing. He looked down at his splinter-covered palms. He¡¯d need to take the time to pull those out in just a short time.


    The young man took a single step back down the top of the hill, and fell back straight onto his butt. He directly hit it against a chunk of broken wood, but barely registered the impact. The moment his body was allowed to lose tension, all the built-up fatigue finally hit like a truck. Practically every inch of his skin was covered with sweat and grime. He stared up at the smokey sky, gasping for air. Jaco tried to swallow, but his mouth was just too dry.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m alive.¡± Jaco¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. His lips trembled as he tried again.


    ¡°I¡¯m still alive!¡± He hoarsely cried out. The words carried across the now empty neighborhood, greeted only by silence. But Jaco didn¡¯t care whether or not anything heard him.


    He had just survived an entire horde of undead. If everything didn¡¯t hurt so much, he might have even laughed at the insane fact he somehow lived through that. He dismissed the notification for reaching Level 10. He¡¯d deal with divvying up his additional Stat Points after he¡¯s had a moment to breathe.


    New Class Available:


    Druid

 Chapter 3:

    Still sitting atop the rubble pile, Jaco considered the golden screen before him. While still in a state of shock just earlier, he had ignored the previous notification about available Classes. But now in the aftermath of his battle against the skeletal horde, he was strangely calm.


    His body was sore and covered with aching injuries. His physical exhaustion was to the point where he¡¯d probably fall asleep instantly if his eyes stayed closed for more than a second. Yet in terms of his mind and current mental state, it was completely composed and collected. Maybe it was due to coming down from the almost high-like exhilaration he¡¯d felt while fighting. And from that, it acted as a sort of soft reset for his brain?


    In any case, it could prove to be a good thing. At least it should mean that for the moment, he wouldn¡¯t do something stupid while too panicked to think. But before anything else, Jaco took a moment to warily glance around at his surroundings. There was nothing in sight, except for a breeze carrying a cloud of ash across the desolate neighborhood. For now, at least, he seemed to be safe.


    First, he wanted to see if he could will for those old Classes to reappear. It took a few seconds for him to focus. Then just like his Sheet, the System responded and instantly rematerialized the screen. This time, Jaco actually took a good look at each of his available Classes. They were Warrior, Scout, Martial Artist, Mage, and now Druid. He wiped more sweat from his forehead as he then focused on the option to expound on them, starting with the first on the list.


    Warrior:


    A Warrior focuses primarily on the use and mastery of various weapons and armor types to aid them in battle. Generally, their primary Stats to focus on are typically Strength and Endurance. However, some may choose to specialize in Agility instead.


    Starting Equipment:


    Shortsword (Minor), Roundshield (Minor), Chainmail Armor (Minor)


    Class Abilities:


    Fighter¡¯s Perception, Minor Boost, Minor Slash, Minor Block


    Stat Bonuses:


    +5 Strength


    +4 Endurance


    +1 Agility


    Wait, what? How the Hell does it even grant you that equipment? Does it just appear out of thin air or something? And what¡¯s with putting Minor next to a bunch of stuff in parenthesis, like what is that even supposed to mean? Jaco asked himself.


    He didn¡¯t really know, but it did seem like an important aspect of the System. Perhaps it would become more clear after he picked a Class and could explore it further for himself.


    Aside from that, the theme here was obvious enough. With both a sword and chainmail mentioned, it really did sound like something straight out of some sort of medieval fantasy. He wondered why the Angels who designed this stuck to that, instead of something more modern.


    While a sword and shield were neat, he felt that his survival might have been more secure with something with more oomph. Like getting a bazooka and whatever Class that¡¯d be associated with. But unless that was a surprise the System was saving, it seemed this fantasy game theme was the hand dealt to him.


    Yet as the idea stuck around in his mind, Jaco¡¯s eye twitched with annoyance. Unlike some video game hero, he wouldn¡¯t get to save a fairytale kingdom and then live happily ever after. Instead, his reality was one of a Hellish apocalypse with billions already dead.


    Jaco tried to shake his head and dispel that kind of thinking before his thoughts spiraled further. He dismissed the new notification and reexamined the Warrior Class. At the bottom of its screen, there was a simple button to accept the Class. For now, though, he still wanted to see what the other options had to offer him.


    Scout:


    A Scout focuses primarily on the use of ranged equipment when forced to fight, but prefers moving around enemies without being noticed. Generally, their primary Stat to focus on is typically Agility.


    Starting Equipment:


    Shortbow (Minor), Camouflage Set (Minor)


    Class Abilities:


    Hunter¡¯s Intuition, Minor Sneak, Minor Enhanced Shooting, Minor Tracking


    Stat Bonuses:


    +7 Agility


    +3 Endurance


    Martial Artist:


    A Martial Artist forgoes the use of both weapons and armor, instead pursuing mastery over their own body. Seeking both mental and physical perfection, their Stats are generally balanced.


    Starting Equipment:


    Handwraps (Minor), Gi (Minor)


    Class Abilities:


    Sixth Sense, Minor Unarmed Strike, Minor Meditation, Minor Defensive Stance


    Stat Bonuses:


    +3 Strength


    +3 Endurance


    +3 Agility


    +3 Will


    Mage:


    A Mage focuses entirely on the use of arcane spells and tapping into the wellspring of Mana within. Generally, their primary Stats to focus on are typically Will and Spell Power. But due to the sheer specialization the arcane arts require, it comes at a detriment to one¡¯s physical Stats.


    Starting Equipment:


    Wand (Minor), Spellcaster¡¯s Robes (Minor)


    Class Abilities:


    Mystic Awareness, Minor Restoration, Minor Mana Weaving, Minor Arcane Spellcasting


    Stat Bonuses:


    +15 Spell Power


    +4 Will


    -3 to Strength, Endurance, and Agility


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to SpellPower per Level (Applied Retroactively)


    -0.5 Detriment to Strength, Endurance, and Agility per Level


    Wait so this really is a magic Class, like actual for real magic? Jaco asked himself. He then clicked on the bit about Stat Modifications, and the System did actually confirm something. These would be applied in addition to passive gain to his Stats just from his Levels already. So he wouldn''t be losing Stats, technically, but the growth rate for those three listed would effectively be halved from here on out.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what else he expected, but seeing it on the screen made him almost giddy. The young man couldn¡¯t help but smile a little as he imagined the chance to be a spellcaster. He took back his previous criticism of the System. A bazooka wouldn¡¯t be needed if he was potentially the bazooka.


    In his head, Jaco immediately disregarded the other Classes before it. In comparison to the ultimate fantasy of casting fireballs or bolts of lightning, who¡¯d ever want to just swing a sword around? To that point, he dismissed the screen for every other Class but Mage.


    Indeed, he did acknowledge the trade-off required for his physical Stats. And while that would be unfortunate, it could be worth the ability to have even stronger spells. At the very least, he could afford to lose a few Points in those Stats. Considering how much he¡¯d already invested in them by now at Level 10, it wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal. However, while the temptation was there to immediately accept the Class, he made himself wait. Because in what also potentially sounded like a spellcaster, the Druid still awaited his attention.


    Druid (Rare):


    From the first line of its screen, Jaco¡¯s eyes widened. Just that was enough to already capture his interest. He quickly doublechecked the Mage Class, and confirmed that it had no such mention of its rarity.


    A Druid is the protector of life and one who is attuned to the natural world. Generally, their primary Stat is Spell Power. However, they rely on being balanced across their other Stats as well to match the versatility of nature¡¯s gifts.


    Starting Equipment:


    Staff (Minor), Ironwood Armor (Minor)


    Class Abilities:


    Natural Instincts, Minor Elemental Offense, Minor Plant Control, Minor Beast Transformation


    Stat Bonuses:


    +10 Spellpower


    +3 Strength


    +2 Endurance


    +3 Agility


    +2 Will


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to SpellPower per Level (Applied Retroactively)


    ¡°Well, this is just¡­ wow,¡± Jaco muttered to himself. The young man leaned forward as he took an even closer look.


    He read through the entire screen once more, and it really did seem amazing overall. Even when compared to Mage, it was still just on another level in practically every aspect. It had both better overall Stats, and much more interesting-looking Class Abilities. But something here was curious.


    ¡°Just how exactly did I unlock a Rare Class? It only appeared after I killed those Skeletons, but is that really all it took? Shouldn¡¯t it have been something more related to life or¡­ Druidy? Maybe it¡¯s also because I¡¯m a gardener, but that still doesn¡¯t feel quite right for the timing. Hmm.¡±


    Jaco rubbed against his chin as he thought about it for a bit longer. If he had to make an assumption, it¡¯d be that there were plenty more undead out there. And that whoever survived the initial wave of death were probably out there, struggling against them. Would any of them who killed enough Skeletons or other undead have unlocked this Class? Even if they had to have also been a gardener, farmer, or so on, it still felt like too many potential Druids for it to be considered Rare.


    But maybe there was something else the System took into account. In any case, he definitely wouldn¡¯t turn down this option granted to him. It was clearly the best among the Classes currently available, so picking it was the obvious choice. After taking a moment to mentally make sure he was certain of this, Jaco accepted the Class.


    Class Gained: Druid!


    With that notification, an updated version of his Sheet then appeared in front of him.


    General Info:


    Species: Human


    Level: 10


    Class: Druid


    Stats:


    Strength: 39


    Agility: 27


    Endurance: 37


    Will: 20


    Spell Power: 20


    Unspent Points: 5


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Natural Instincts


    Active: Minor Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Minor Beast Transformation


    In that same instant, two items seemingly materialized out of thin air. A long staff made of gnarled wood appeared between the young man''s hands. And over his clothes, a set of wooden armor was placed over most of his body, save for the space around his joints and above the neck.


    The smile from before was now a toothy grin on his face. But it wasn¡¯t just the Sheet that brought this influx of joy from the young man. Rather, it was the rush of what felt like pure power coursing through his being. Not only did Jaco feel stronger in a way beyond physical strength, he was also suddenly far more aware of his surroundings. All of his senses seemed to have been heightened. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    He could detect a stronger scent of ash and burnt wood in the air than before. He looked up at the debris pile of what used to be his closest neighbor''s house. Even from where he sat, he could swear that the finer details on its broken bricks were now visible from a distance. It couldn¡¯t quite be described as super smell or hearing, but it was definitely a drastically notable difference.


    But before dismissing his Sheet again, there was something he needed to do. Jaco still had Unspent Points from reaching Level 10. He went ahead and dumped them all into Spell Power, increasing it to a new total of 25. Once that was done, he stood up and waved away the golden screen. Now he wanted to give these new powers a test run.


    ¡°Might as well start from the top and make my way down. So how would Natural Instincts work?¡± Jaco asked himself. Perhaps it would be like other aspects of the System so far. Where if he simply focused on something, it¡¯d appear. That was at least worth a try.


    The young man pictured the name of the Ability within his mind¡¯s eye. He glanced around but didn¡¯t notice any immediate difference. Furrowing his brows, he wondered if perhaps he still wasn¡¯t focusing hard enough on it. Jaco closed his eyes and tried to further deepen his concentration. A few seconds later, there still wasn¡¯t anything new.


    ¡°Alright then, maybe not. Hmm, it is a bit different from the other ones. Unlike the rest, it doesn¡¯t describe itself as Minor. Maybe it¡¯s what dictates my heightened senses? Unless that¡¯s just something that Druids just get as part of the Class itself?¡±


    Jaco decided to move on for now, and return to Natural Instincts later. If he didn¡¯t figure it out now, perhaps its purpose would become more apparent on its own. So next on the list, Minor Elemental Offense.


    He once again attempted to mentally focus on the Ability. But this time, he felt an immediate response. From within his chest, Jaco felt something begin to tug.


    Suddenly, he felt more aware of the air around him and the water that soaked him. He could even sense the earth at the bottom of the debris hill. Inside his stomach, the temperature rose as heat started to build up. As his focus shifted to this heat, an image of roaring flames appeared in his mind. The young man stepped down, deciding to aim his attention toward the ground for now.


    The dirt seemed to call to him, and the tugging felt stronger as his feet reached the ground. From deep within himself, Jaco could just tell that this was a sensation he could choose to manipulate. Letting out a breath through his mouth, he reached for it.


    His will enveloped the earth, becoming even further attuned to both the solid ground and chunks of rock. He tightened his mental grip, and willed for the ground to move. In response to the new Druid¡¯s will, a section of earth broke away from the ground and began to slowly drift into the air.


    ¡°Holy shit it worked!¡± Jaco exclaimed, and subsequently broke his focus. The hunk of dirt had only risen by a few feet, before immediately dropping back down with a thud.


    But even just from that momentary action, he felt different. Compared to how energetic he felt before, a noticeable bit of that energy was now gone. It wasn¡¯t quite the same as physical exhaustion, however. No, it was something else. He could just inherently tell without knowing why. While scratching his arm in thought, he then realized the most likely answer.


    Well if this System is based on a fantasy game, then spellcasting should have its own resource bar. If I had to guess, it¡¯s probably something like Mana. Since the Mage did mention Mana Weaving as an Ability, that would fit. Satisfied with that idea, Jaco nodded to himself.


    But unlike a video game, there seemingly was no numerical resource bar that he could see. Even after taking a spellcaster Class to gain Spell Power, that hadn¡¯t been added to his Sheet.


    So rather than something convenient, it seemed he¡¯d have to manually keep track of it by just feeling it out. In that sense it wasn¡¯t that different from knowing when he was getting tired, but it¡¯d be important for him to remain vigilant. He didn¡¯t want to waste it all on trying these powers out now, only for another horde to immediately attack him.


    With that in mind, Jaco continued to carefully test out this Ability. He once again tried to move the chunk of earth. Now knowing exactly what to expect, he managed to maintain his concentration. While keeping it floating in the air, he could feel that it was slowly but surely draining his Mana. But rather than just allow it to drop straight down, he wanted to try something.


    Exerting his full will over the chunk, Jaco attempted to throw to the side with as much force he could muster. Even without any prior momentum, the lump was immediately sent flying in his chosen direction. His target was a partially destroyed wall across the street. Bits of dirt and rock exploded out from the impact as it smashed into the brick wall.


    With that, the Druid next wanted to try the other elements he¡¯d felt before. However, the results of these tests didn¡¯t go quite as well. When he first tried to manipulate the air, it just slipped out of his grasp before he could get a firm grip of control. Water was a bit better, but still almost as difficult to maintain.


    He could at least draw the water out of his clothes. However, he still dropped it after just a few seconds of trying to keep it in place. As for fire, it simply didn¡¯t pan out at all. While Jaco could build up heat within his belly, he couldn¡¯t force it out. And even just trying to keep that internal fire going ate through his Mana faster than anything else so far.


    Perhaps if he found an already active flame, he could try controlling that instead. In a similar vein, Jaco did sense that he could also try to create earth, water, and air directly from his body rather than using what was around him. Unlike fire, however, he didn¡¯t know where to even begin with those beyond just feeling that it was possible.


    With a sigh, Jaco decided that perhaps that was a good point to move on. At the very least, he had a decent grasp at controlling the earth around him. Now it was time to take Minor Plant Control out for a spin. Luckily for him, he knew exactly where there were close by plants to try it on.


    He walked around the ruined yard of what used to be his garden. Everything he¡¯d been growing closer to his home was now covered in the rubble pile. But the plants further out were still alive, even if covered in a layer of ash and soot. As he did for the elements, Jaco tried to project his will into one of the buried herbs.


    Feeling more of his Mana being used up, he felt a connection established with the plant. He could sense that he could spend even more Mana, however. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what would happen, only that it was possible to give that energy directly to the herb. Curious to see what that would do, Jaco decided to try it.


    From underneath the ash, something shifted. Then pushing itself free from its burial, the plant broke out. Jaco severed the connection, and manually parted more of the ashes with his bare hands.


    ¡°Oooooh.¡± What he revealed was not just a plant that had moved, but grown. Jaco could say for certain that it was definitely bigger and taller than when he tended to it just earlier today. But like feeding his internal fire, however, the action had chewed through a good bit of Mana.


    He then reestablished a connection with the herb. Through it, he was able to do more than just make it bigger. Jaco found that compared to his rough control over earth, he could manipulate it to a finer degree. He was able to control both individual leaves as well as bend and move the stem itself. Even each of its roots could be moved, though that was harder with all the dirt surrounding them. Satisfied with this result, Jaco decided to go ahead and get to the last Ability on his list, Minor Beast Transformation.


    When the Druid focused on this power, it wasn¡¯t like the others. Rather than reach out for something external, he felt that it was entirely within himself. When he concentrated further, a series of images and concepts flashed through his mind.


    Through the perspective of some tiny animal¡¯s eyes, he could see clearly in a forest at night. While in another¡¯s perspective, no hole or crack in a wall was too small for him to get into. Then finally from a third, he felt the wind rushing past him as the ground below seemed small and far away.


    Jaco decided to fully shift his attention to that last vision. To the idea of true freedom through the power of flight. When he did, he immediately felt a large amount of Mana disappear. So much at once, it actually took the wind out of him for a second. Yet he didn¡¯t let that dissuade him. Instead, the young man continued to keep his focus trained on the vision of flying through the sky. With his eyes closed, he maintained complete concentration on his goal.


    A split second later, there was a shift. Jaco could sense that the spell had run its course, and opened his eyes. When he looked down, he did not see a fleshy pair of human hands and fingers. In their place, there were now bird-like talons. Each of these new talons looked to be at least a few inches long and slightly curled into sharp points.


    But Jaco didn¡¯t inspect them for long. Instead he rolled his shoulders, hoping to feel a pair of wings attached to his back. Yet when he did so, he felt no new limbs covered with feathers. When he reached around with his talons to doublecheck, he couldn¡¯t feel anything at all sticking out.


    ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s¡­¡± Jaco trailed off. Disappointing, it was disappointing.


    While the talons might have been kinda of cool on their own, they felt like a participation trophy compared to the main prize he had desired. He had imagined himself actually turning into a bird, or at least growing out his wings. Instead, the shift to his hands was seemingly the only change.


    But maybe it¡¯s just a taste of what¡¯s to come? And then I could somehow get wings or fully transform in the future.


    Jaco remembered that this was an Ability described as Minor. If there was a Minor, then surely there had to be a Major version out there. Maybe if he Leveled Up more and somehow discovered how to get that upgrade, he could increase its capabilities.


    But to achieve that, he¡¯d need to find a way to get those Levels. As the young man had that thought, he quickly decided on a course of action. The horde of Skeletons from before surely weren¡¯t the only ones in the area. If he just looked around and explored, there was a good chance he¡¯d be able to find more.


    If Jaco could then properly apply his Abilities, he could likely deal with them quite easily. If he threw a large chunk of stone, he could potentially crush multiple with one shot. Being able to do so from a safe distance, it¡¯d be the best way to test if using Minor Elemental Offense to kill the undead will increase its Level.


    Now far more confident in himself than just half an hour prior, Jaco walked away from the ruins of his former home. It was time for him to go skelly hunting.


    However, he didn¡¯t make more than a few steps before freezing in place. To say a chill suddenly ran down his spine was an understatement. It¡¯d be more appropriate to say that the icy hand of Death itself had just ripped his bloody spine straight out of his back. Barely a second later, he spotted a large amount of movement just down the street from him.


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± Jaco cursed under his breath. He snapped out of being frozen and immediately moved for safety. He dove for the pile of rubble, hiding behind it for cover. Luckily, his enhanced vision let him see the incoming threat before they could have seen him. Or at least, that¡¯s what he hoped.


    The young man peeked from around his hiding spot. As they steadily came closer, he took a better look at the approaching group. What he saw made his eyes bulge with renewed terror. For there were dozens of undead, but not the same kind as Skeletons or the charred corpse of his neighbor. But even worse was what led them.


    It was a huge monster, one that had to be at least three or even four times taller than any of the undead. Between its human-like hands, it carried a large, double-sided axe. But while its arms and midsection were like that of a giant man, the rest of its body was not.


    Everything below the waist was furry legs that ended with hooves. While above its shoulders, there was the head of a bull with giant horns. As he stared at it while the group approached, something appeared above the heads of both the huge creature and each of the undead that followed it.


    Ghoul (Undead)


    Level: 18


    Ghoul (Undead)


    Level: 22


    Ghoul (Undead)


    Level: 19


    Each of the Ghouls averaged around Level 20. As for their leader, however¡­


    Minotaur (Demidemon)


    Level: ?


    Demidemon:


    A type of creature enslaved by Demons and made into their thrall.


    Well fuck me then! Jaco internally screamed as his head snapped back. He knew just enough about Greek mythology to recognize the Minotaur¡¯s name.


    As the unholy procession continued down the street, Jaco dared not breathe when they were at their closest point to him. He knew that if he even shifted an inch and drew their attention by making a pebble fall, he¡¯d die. Rare Class or no Rare Class, he knew that his death was that certain.


    Even when they passed by and turned their backs to him, he still didn¡¯t move. Only when they had been out of sight for several minutes, did Jaco finally come out of hiding. From here on out, he¡¯d now know that this group existed, and potentially even more like them. Whenever it was physically possible, he had to stay out of their way at all costs.


    Though the tidbit from the System did beg the question. If he couldn¡¯t even see the Level of this demonic slave, then what the Hell was an actual Demon like?


    For now, he couldn¡¯t just stay a sitting duck forever. His original plan was still in place to find more Skeletons to kill. He¡¯d need to do so while being careful of the more powerful monsters, but it was still necessary for him to get stronger. At Level 10 he stood no chance even against the Ghouls, but if he could gain enough Experience Points to get to Level 20, then he at least stood a chance. Resolutely nodding to himself, Jaco set out to do just that.

 Chapter 41: (Start of Book 2)

    The downtown of the city was once the beating heart of the local economy. Now it was a partially destroyed mess of broken concrete and shattered glass. What used to be the lively commute for tens of thousands each day was a nearly silent ghost town. Aside from the winds that sounded like the baleful moans of a spirit, the only regular noise was from the actual undead as they shambled over bits of glass.


    But while the inner city was largely filled with naught by the undead and monsters, the silence was currently being cut through by the voices of three living men. They had little care for if their loud conversation would attract something¡¯s attention. If anything, the back of minds always hoped for that to be the case so whatever came would present its free Experience Points to them.


    The trio were not attacked as they continued to loudly talk amongst themselves without a care in the world, however. The immediate area surrounding their destination had long since been fully picked clean of anything that moved, after all.


    They eventually walked up to a building that would have stood out even to the casual observer. Unlike the surrounding structures that had simply been left to their fates for if they¡¯d stand or at some point collapse from their damage, this one actually had visible signs of being actively repaired. After winding down their personal conversation, the three men pushed open the newly built doors and made their way inside.


    ¡°We¡¯re already late. Just get ready to be given shit for it,¡± Steven grumbled as they entered. Half a dozen other men and women were already inside what was once the lobby of a hotel.


    While everything above the first story was still too ruined to be of use, the ground floor had been turned into the current headquarters of the Chosen Few. There was an actual meeting room off to the side, but at some point, it had been decided to just drag out the table and chairs into the lobby instead.


    Those already gathered collectively looked up as the three newcomers approached the large table.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up, eh? a man asked. Sitting across from him, his twin sister sneered as the trio took their own seats at the table.


    ¡°Maybe they were all trying to get some last second Experience in to try and look good? I hope they¡¯ve at least had something to show for it. So go on, tell us what gains you must have acquired being over an hour late,¡± she said with a haughty voice.


    Dick and Steven glared at the pair, as Mark just glanced off to the side. The two were brother and sister. Twins, to be exact. They were both equally strong, as well as equally annoying to deal with. There was Luna who¡¯d chosen to be a Mage, and then her brother Lincoln, a Warrior. As far as a solid duo went for both fighting upfront and from afar, they were rock solid.


    Knowing that they¡¯d never let just let it go, Steven was the answer with a reluctant sigh. ¡°I¡¯m Level 30, Dick is 32, and Mark¡¯s still at 29.¡± With that last part, it didn¡¯t take a psychic to know how the twins would next respond.


    ¡°Oh wooooow, so you¡¯re late and still couldn¡¯t even manage to get Mark to his Class Evolution? Now I just feel bad for you three, cause that¡¯s just really sad. Has the only unevolved part of your team even gotten baby¡¯s first artifact yet? Or is he still relying on you two to carry him around?¡± Luna taunted. Her twin just snickered from his seat as she gestured like she was rocking a baby in her arms.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how we¡¯re playing it, huh? Remind me, exactly how many Levels higher than you has your brother been this whole time? Any luck yet on catching up by begging him to let you take more Experience?¡± Steven shot back.


    The group of three continued to bicker with the twins. It was mostly Luna and Steven and arguing with her brother and Dick occasionally getting their own bits in. Mark, on the other hand, just tried to make himself as small as possible in his seat. The other three members of the Chosen Few present didn¡¯t bother to add to the argument as they remained content to watch from the side.


    ¡°It seems like we¡¯re still missing a few people. Anyone know where they might be?¡± one man who''d been silent until then asked. He spoke with a quiet voice, but it immediately felt like the argument had been put on pause.


    Steven leaned back into his chair. ¡°Dunno, boss. We really only got held up cause we were basically on the other side of the city when we got the word. So chances are that if nobody else showed up, they¡¯re probably just dead,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that. They could just have been brave enough to skip it. They could be out there right now. And unlike you three, they might actually be focused on working on getting stronger,¡± Luna quipped.


    ¡°That''s enough out of all of you.¡± Although his tone was low, the non-negotiable weight behind those few words immediately silenced the room. Because when their leader decided that it was time to be quiet, they all knew to just shut up and listen.


    ¡°Those who decided to skip the order for joining us today, if they are still alive that is, will be handled later. But as for why you are here today, I¡¯ll cut straight to the point. The time has come for us to act against the main camp outside the city,¡± Levi declared.


    The gathered members of the Chosen Few shared a glance amongst themselves. They''d known about the community outside the city since the moment it had been founded. But none of them had dared it to attack all this time, despite having no problem slaughtering any of the other groups of survivors they came across.


    The only reason they had each stayed their hand was because of their leader, Levi. One of the first orders he had given to their group was that the camp would remain off limits. The same command was then expanded upon as a condition for all future members beyond the original eight.


    Despite being a group of murderous psychopaths- though to varying degrees of self awareness- nobody  to question that order. Because they all respected and feared Levi''s power and the retribution that would surely come from defying him. Because the simple fact of the matter was that he was the strongest of them all by having the highest Level. And with him being only nineteen years old, he was also the youngest member of the Chosen Few.


    But even despite him being relatively young, none of those currently present dared to openly challenge his position as their leader. They all still remembered the now former member of Chosen who¡¯d been enough of a brave idiot to try that.


    How Levi had crippled him after turning the challenge into a mockery of a battle. He cut off his hands and feet before applying just enough of a healing potion for the maimed man¡¯s injuries to stop bleeding and turn into stubs. Still alive, but now utterly helpless and unable to fend for himself.


    Then after removing all his equipment for good measure, the challenger was left naked on top the roof of a building for the Sirens. Those weaker monsters normally wouldn¡¯t be able to much against someone with a higher Level and Endurance. But given enough time, and focus on the eyes and other vulnerable parts, even they¡¯d eventually be able to rip and tear off those softer bits of the body.


    It was only after a couple of days later that the brave idiot¡¯s torture eventually came to an end. After Levi believed that enough was enough, and didn¡¯t want just a siren to ultimately claim the Experience, he went up to the roof and finished the man. The corpse, or what was left of it anyway, was then left there to be claimed by the elements.


    After that, nobody else had yet dared to try and directly challenge Levi. Thought of it? Sure. It would actually be harder for several power hungry people not to have those kinds of thoughts.


    But they all understood that any attempt made without unquestionable confidence was one that could easily lead to them becoming the next example.


    And with their leader still easily being the strongest member of the Chosen Few, none of them had the certainty needed to even seriously consider the idea. The only way that would change would be if they managed to obtain every big and small advantage possible.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    They would first have to do the most unlikely step of putting aside their differences and learning how to work together as one synchronized unit. Even working together, they¡¯d also need to consider every single one of their leader¡¯s known Abilities and artifacts and put together as many countermeasures as they could think of.


    Then even with those strategies in mind, they¡¯d still need to catch Levi unaware by attacking only after the increasingly distant times he stopped to sleep. Even then, with all of that, their chance of winning would still just be a maybe.


    And if they did succeed, it wouldn¡¯t be without the sacrifice of likely half or more of their group dying in the attempt. That was just the pure disparity in power behind the rest of the Chosen Few and the young man who led them with an iron fist. For that, his word was law amongst their group.


    Several seconds of silence had already passed since Levi made his declaration. And when it looked like he didn¡¯t have anything else to follow up with, it was deemed permissible for the other Chosen to speak again.


    ¡°Err. Just to ask boss, when it comes to your new orders about that commune, is the part about the one person we¡¯re especially not allowed to touch still in effect? Just clarify, of course,¡± Dick asked after hurriedly deciding to add that last part in.


    Despite having experienced the feeling of euphoric power that came from a Class Evolution and then gaining two additional Levels past it, the Warrior couldn¡¯t stop himself from stiffening up as their leader¡¯s gaze turned directly on him. Yet when those eyes didn¡¯t seem intent on snuffing out his life on the spot, he breathed out a small sigh of relief.


    ¡°What I said just now only applies to the camp as a whole. The rule regarding my sister is still in effect. So while you can all freely do as you please with the rest of him, leave her to me. Are there any other questions or concerns?¡± Levi asked as his gaze swept around to meet those of each of the other Chosen.


    Fidgeting with his bow, Mark nervously looked up from the table. ¡°Well, the thing is¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have complained about raiding them just a couple of weeks ago. But just the other day, the three of us actually had to avoid some of them as they were getting closer to the inner city. I didn¡¯t think much of them at first since it was just a small group of what looked like highschoolers. However, and I don''t know when or how this happened, but they¡¯d all jumped up in Level. So, I, uh, well¡­¡± he started to trail off.


    ¡°Say whatever it is you really want to say, Mark. No need to be so nervous when I asked for your thoughts,¡± Levi said.


    ¡°Alright¡­ it¡¯s just that it might not be so easy of a fight anymore. Practically everyone there used to be just a bunch of pushovers, but something¡¯s changed. I don¡¯t know what their average Level is anymore, but it¡¯s probably shot up by a lot recently. And what¡¯s while they still have strength in numbers. Well all know that there¡¯s a difference in quality between humans with the System and an undead of equal Level,¡± Mark glanced back at their leader, who just nodded for him to continue.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a bit worried if it¡¯d be less of a one-sided fight like usual, and if it might turn into something more like a siege. There¡¯s a big difference between fighting a hundred mindless undead at say Level 15 as just a random number, versus the same Level and number of people actually working together as one. So even for our strength, it might not be as easy as some of the smaller communes we¡¯ve swept through,¡± the Scout eventually finished.


    But in a reaction that surprised the members of the Chosen Few, their leader just slightly smiled at the other man¡¯s voiced concern.


    ¡°As it turns out, that random number of yours is basically right on the money. I¡¯ve been keeping a closer eye on the camp as of recently, and even those that haven¡¯t left since it was founded in the early days of the Apocalypse have seen a newfound spike in growth. I believe that they¡¯ve had a recent change in policy, and have actually started breaking off small parts of the hordes that occasionally leave the city and leading them for the weaker members to farm.¡± He trailed his fingers against a map placed on the table, one of the city and its surrounding area.


    ¡°The only thing that kept them from reaching the teens for their Level was fear and cowardice. But now that those shackles have seemingly been traded away, you¡¯re exactly right to assume that even the common and weaker people there are likely now around Level 15. Only being able to watch from a distance, I¡¯m less certain about the current strength of their highest Level members. But there is every possibility that at least a few could have just barely reached their Class Evolutions by now if they¡¯ve put in enough time and effort.¡±


    Levi then stood up from his seat. And with a single gesture from him, the others quickly mimicked the motion.


    ¡°However, there is something that may alleviate your concerns. Follow me, but do try to keep the noise down until I say otherwise.¡± His tone made it sound like a polite request, but they all knew otherwise.


    Without a word, the Chosen Few trailed behind their leader and exited the building. They wandered across the streets for a little while, before coming across a cliff from where a large section of earth had been split apart from the cataclysms of the Apocalypse.


    There they all saw an army of undead, one filled with many of the more powerful variants in addition to the basic Skeletons. Like mice in a maze, they were being forced to funnel through a deliberately made path in the road below. The Chosen looked at Levi as he stared down at the undead with vicious light in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find that chaos is an effective killer of the organized effort that comes from a larger group working together. And when enough chaos has been sowed, we¡¯ll have an easy opportunity to pick off the strongest one by one. As they¡¯re spread thin to defend against the horde, we¡¯ll be the knives driven into the unknowing backs.¡±


    ¡ª--


    Jaco was still reeling as he continued to stare at the golden screen before him. He slowly blinked as he read through its text a second time, and then did so again just to make sure he wasn¡¯t going crazy. The pain in his chest had thankfully already started to subside, but the shock of it all was still definitely prevalent.


    A secondary Hell Class? System? Just once, for fuck¡¯s sake, can you actually bother to give me more of an explanation tha- Jaco started to internally ask, but stopped as he heard a sudden noise.


    Down the hill he stood on were some woods. And at that moment, it sounded like someone was making its way toward him. An undead perhaps? It was a bit harder to tell in the forest, where the regular shambling was mixed with the dry leaves and sticks being stepped on.


    Jaco immediately pushed aside the earlier question to focus on the most immediate matter. Condition aside, the Angel had fully restored both his health and Mana after the battle from the Minotaur. So he was now once again more than ready to get into another fight if need be.


    He proceeded to make his way down the hill and planted himself in what seemed like a good spot.


    A figure then crashed through a line of bushes. And rather than being an undead or any other monster, it was a woman. One that looked to be somewhere close to him in age. She collapsed onto her forearms after breaking through the bushes, heaving for air.


    Her ginger hair was messily hanging in front of her face and smeared with grim and ash. When she pushed her hair back and looked up, it was then that her eyes locked with his own. Her expression widened with what seemed like a mix of both fear and surprise.


    Warrior (Human)


    Evolved (Flashblade Blitzer)


    Level: 30


    A dozen thoughts immediately swept through Jaco''s head. Who was this woman? Did her high Level mean that she was potentially a member of the Chosen Few? Did he even dare try to trust her?


    ¡°Please¡­ I need¡­¡± she slowly said, her voice hoarse. The woman meekly looked up at him as she laid on her stomach.


    ¡°Are you hurt? Do you have any injuries?¡± Jaco quickly asked as he still maintained a bit of distance, just in case. Yet instead of answering, her eyes closed as her head slumped forward into the dirt.


    The Druid stared at her apparently now unconscious form. He blinked a few times as he tried to decide how to approach this. Staff still ready in his hand, he waited a few seconds before slowly walking up to her body. But even as then he stood right in front of her, there still wasn¡¯t any warning of potential danger from his instincts.


    Jaco bent down and placed a finger on the side of her neck, and felt that her pulse was stable. He did a quick examination, but only found light scratches and bruises with no serious looking wounds. It seemed like she had just collapsed due to pure exhaustion more than anything else.


    With a sigh, he made a decision. Jaco carefully hoisted the woman up and decided to bring her somewhere safe for now. From his earlier vantage point at the top of the hill, he was pretty sure that there was a small but relatively intact house close by.


    A little while later, Jaco was looking at the stranger from a seat across the room. He had given her as much help as he could offer to aid in her recovery, though only meant so much currently.


    For now she was still unconscious while laid on a bed, so he¡¯d just wait it out to see what would happen next. If she was just a friendly person in need, great. But if she happened to be a member of the Chosen Few¡­ well, he¡¯d act as the situation deemed necessary.


    But in the meantime until she woke up, it was about time for him to get back to something important.


    New Condition: Devil¡¯s Essence


    Allows you to effectively use Hell Artifacts. In addition, it grants new options for Classes and Abilities. You have unlocked the opportunity to select a secondary Class of the Hell variant.


    It was time to actually see just what the Hell this offer was all about. As Jaco focused on the Condition, the System didn¡¯t offer any further explanations. What it did respond with, however, was a different kind of notification.


    Secondary Classes Available¡ª


    And he grinned at what he saw.

 Chapter 42:

    When Jaco had first received the notification about the possibility of a Secondary Class, he hadn¡¯t known exactly what to expect. All he¡¯d known was that they were going to be based on Hell and came from him getting the Devil¡¯s Essence.


    But that fact alone had initially made him a bit weary and fearing for the worst. Like would he get Classes that would be directly based on actual Demons and their powers? Or maybe even somehow a step further than that? Yet even that doubt hadn¡¯t been enough to hold back his curiosity. And now he was very interested in the notification before him.


    Just like his initial Class selection and when he chose a Class Evolution, a golden screen had appeared that showed his options for Secondary Classes.


    Brimstone Juggernaut


    Abyssal Hunter


    Hedonist of Sin


    Hellfire Cultist


    Blight Warlock


    Well, not sure what else I really should have been expecting for the naming convention.  The message about the Devil¡¯s Essence was pretty direct about these being a Hell variant, Jaco thought to himself.


    Brimstone Juggernaut:


    A Brimstone Juggernaut specializes on the uses of heavy armor and weapons imbued with the powers of Demons. To be a Juggernaut is to be both Hell¡¯s undeniable hammer and its uncrushable wall. It is also said that the first Brimstone Juggernaut was blessed to have the Devil¡¯s impenetrable skin. Their primary Stats to focus on are typically Strength and Endurance.


    Starting Equipment:


    Infernal Plate (Lesser), Brimstone Warhammer (Lesser)


    Class Abilities:


    Lesser Aura of Decimation, Lesser Demonic Fortitude, Lesser Surge of Wrath


    Stat Bonuses:


    +20 Strength


    +20 Endurance


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to Strength per Level


    +1 Boost to Endurance per Level


    This Class seemed similar to that of the Warrior. But while the latter was more of an all-rounder in terms of the description for its fighting style, the Brimstone Juggernaut was definitely skewed toward being a tank.


    The only noticeable drawback that he could spot was that it started with only three Class Abilities. That was versus the original selection where every option had four.


    He also noted that when it came to flat boost and Modifications for his Stats, it fell into an inbetween zone. Where what was offered was much better than the original Class¡¯s by miles. But it was also just a bit worse than the average Stat boosts offered by the choices for his Class Evolution.


    But more importantly, all of its Class Abilities and equipment start off at being Lesser instead of Minor. Is it because I already reached my Class Evolution and already have some Lesser Abilities myself? he internally asked.


    Jaco wondered if the options present before him were already the evolved version of what they might have been. Like if this one had started off as just some Hellish Warrior or something, but auto evolved into the current Brimstone Juggernaut because he qualified for evolved Classes. Or if that wasn¡¯t it and these were just the base versions of each Class, were they just that much better than the original starting Classes or was it the System boosting them?


    Actually, just the fact that the System created by Heaven would even support him getting a Hell-based Secondary Class was its own can of worms. Had the Guardian Angel foreseen that this would happen when she healed him, both lessening and twisting the effects of the Infernal Plague into a different Condition? Or was the System just more adaptable than he expected?


    Jaco hoped that he really would be able to someday meet that Angel again. He just way so, so many questions that needed answers.  But for the time being, the young man moved on to the next option on the list.


    Abyssal Hunter:


    A Abyssal Hunter focuses on the use of long range weapons and the aid of shadow magic. They are both Hell¡¯s assassins and its always present eyes in the darkness. It is also said that the first Abyssal Hunter was blessed to have the Devil¡¯s inky eyes.  Their primary Stat is Agility with a lesser focus on Spell Power.


    Starting Equipment:


    Shadowy Leather Armor (Lesser), Dark Bow (Lesser)


    Class Abilities:


    Lesser Eclipse Sight, Lesser Ethereal Marksmanship, Lesser Shadowmeld


    Stat Bonuses:


    +30 Agility


    +10 Spell Power


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to Agility per Level


    +1 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    The young man frowned a little about reading that bit about the first of this Class having the Devil¡¯s eyes. He hadn¡¯t thought much of it for the Juggernaut, assuming it to be just more flavor text. But for the same thing to appear but just adapted to the Hunter was now a pattern. And Jaco wasn¡¯t one to believe that such a direct text pattern made by the System was just a meaningless coincidence.


    As for the Abyssal Hunter itself, it was fairly interesting as a Class. As far as classic video game builds went, stealth archer was pretty far up there. He did wonder if that Lesser Shadowmeld Skill would be similar to the one the Chosen Phantom Rogue had used to effectively teleport between shadows.


    They likely wouldn¡¯t happen to be exactly the same, but could be close enough in terms of functionality. In any case, he dismissed the screen and went to the third on the list.


    Hedonist of Sin:


    A Hedonist of Sin focuses on the use of empowering their body through the power of sin. They use both the strength of their own corruption and feed off the essence of those who oppose Hell. It is also said that the first Hedonist of Sin was blessed to have the Devil¡¯s horned crown. Seeking to be the best at everything, their Stats are generally balanced.


    Starting Equipment:


    Infernal Knuckle Dusters (Lesser), Devilish Suit (Lesser)


    Class Abilities:


    Lesser Fists of Depravity, Lesser Veil of Corruption, Lesser Emotion Drain


    Stat Bonuses:


    +10 Strength


    +10 Endurance


    +10 Agility


    +10 Will


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to Strength per Level


    +1 Boost to Will per Level


    After reading it through, Jaco felt that he¡¯d seen enough to make a pretty reasonable assumption. Each of the choices so far had been a direct counterpart of the original Classes, down to the order that they were listed in.


    The Brimstone Juggernaut and Abyssal Hunter were pretty obviously just like the Warrior and Scout, but with some tweaking as a reflection of their Hellish affinity. But the Hedonist of Sin was interesting in that it felt more like an inverse of the idea of the Martial Artist.


    Where its description had spoken of self master and discipline, the Hedonist explicitly empowered itself through welcoming excess indulgence. From just a purely thematic perspective, it was probably the most interesting one so far. Yet at the same time, it just left him feeling kind of uncomfortable.


    If Classes could have their own personalities, this one would definitely be the ultimate kind of selfish narcissist. Their Stats were spread out in the same way as the Martial Artist, but it really was just the opposite side of the same coin. But it was time to see the next option, which Jaco assumed would be the Hell variant of the Mage.


    Hellfire Cultist:


    A Hellfire Cultist focuses on the use of the flames of Hell itself as the core pillar of their infernal magic. The Cultist uses this Hellfire to scorch all who oppose Hell in body, mind, and even soul. It is also said that the first Hellfire Cultist was blessed to have the Devil¡¯s fiery heart. Their primary Stat to focus is typically just Spell Power.


    Starting Equipment:


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Cultist¡¯s Robes (Lesser), Hell Scepter (Lesser)


    Class Abilities:


    Lesser Hellfire Blast, Lesser Cursed Flames, Lesser Infernal Pyre


    Stat Bonuses:


    +40 Spell Power


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +2 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    His eyes widened a little at reading that description. The power to burn a person¡¯s very soul? While the existence of Heaven and Hell were now obvious, there hadn¡¯t been any direct confirmation yet on if souls were also a thing.


    It could probably have been assumed, but now this text from the System had effectively affirmed that they were indeed real. Not only that, but that one¡¯s soul could actually be damaged instead of being some entirely separate existence. While his mind was still occupied by the implication of that fact, he distracted himself by switching over to the next and final Secondary Class.


    And as the only remaining one on the list, he already knew this would have to be the Hellish version of his own Class.


    Blight Warlock:


    A Blight Warlock on the use of rot and decay to wilt away their foes. They are Hell¡¯s terraformers as a walking blight to eradicate all non-infernal life.  It is also said that the first Blight Warlock was blessed to have the Devil¡¯s rotten fingers. Generally, their primary Stats to focus on are typically Will and Spell Power.


    Starting Equipment:


    Decayed Staff (Lesser), Fungal Armor (Lesser)


    Class Abilities:


    Lesser Pestilent Swarm, Lesser Zone of Blight, Lesser Rotting Summon


    Stat Bonuses:


    +20 Spell Power


    +20 Will


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +1 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    +1 Boost to Will per Level


    For a little while, Jaco just stared at the golden screen before him. For what he believed was now getting close to two months since the Apocalypse, he used his Druid Abilities with pride. He¡¯d even gone as far as to truly believe himself as a bastion of life to combat the forces that would bring undeath to mankind.


    He should have expected that there were only so many ways to effectively corrupt a Class focused around the power of life. Yet even so, now that he read just how it¡¯d been twisted into a bastardized version of itself, he found himself feeling¡­ upset? The young man furrowed his brows as he tried to mentally examine his current emotions.


    Just why did it bother him so much? From a logical perspective, he recognized that picking a Class was just like choosing to wield a sword or a bow. It was just a matter of preference for what kind of fighting style you believed would suit you the best. One could even say that all the Class itself did was just act as the vehicle for its Skills and Stats to let you pick how you wanted to fight.


    Yet even knowing that in the back of his head didn¡¯t help with how he currently felt. Just the idea of seeing the powers he¡¯d grown accustomed to corrupted in such a way left a bad taste in his mouth. Jaco simply felt disgusted by the Blight Warlock.


    After taking a deep breath, the young man dismissed the screen. He pulled back up the general list of the Secondary Classes, intending to consider them as a whole. The initial wave of excitement from the idea of having a second Class had now completely worn off. It was now replaced by a sense of foreboding after realizing that even with the System, these were still within the domain of Hell.


    Jaco was now certain that there would be a cost to accepting any one of these Classes. The line in each of them about receiving something from the Devil was much more than just flavor text. He was sure of that belief through an acute gut feeling.


    After all, he¡¯d only gotten access to this list after receiving the Devil¡¯s Essence. And then there was how each so-called blessing was some kind of change to the body. Jaco had the distinct feeling that by choosing one of these Hellish Classes, he too would be changed by it.


    Friedrich Nietzsche once made the famous quote of: ¡°He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.¡± Something which he couldn¡¯t help but currently hear being said within his own mind.


    If just taking one of Classes as-is did change him into being more like a monster from Hell, then would it even stop there? Assuming that reaching Level 60 brought another Class Evolution, how would it impact his Secondary Class? Would this just be the first step of several to eventually become one of the Demons invading and ruining Earth?


    Jaco was tempted to just completely reject every option. The System had never indicated that it would ever force him to choose if he didn¡¯t pick one any time soon. So there was nothing to stop him from simply dismissing the golden screen entirely and never pulling it up again.


    Yet just as he was about to make the motion to swipe it away, the young man hesitated. He glanced over to the still unconscious form of the woman on the bed. His mind flashed with the image of the little girl that turned out to be an Angel. Then to all the survivors back at the camp.


    If he had the opportunity to get stronger but rejected it out of fear, what would it mean if he lacked the strength to protect others? Would it not be his fault if he lacked the power necessary to help those who needed his aid? How would he still feel about this choice if that were to happen? What kind of excuse would he really be willing to make for himself?


    The Druid then recalled the murals he had seen in the fort¡¯s chapel. Of the person who¡¯d fallen into Hell and his journey. Just one human had mastered the power of Hell and gained enough strength to kill the Devil himself before taking the throne.


    However, that was in itself a warning of what that kind of power could do to someone since that man had become the next Devil of Hell. One both strong and cruel enough to tip the balance of the eternal war against Heaven. On the other hand, while a cautionary tale, it was also an example of what just one human could actually achieve.


    If given the opportunity, Jaco would have happily been willing to accept a Class based on Heaven instead. Such a thing might have even perfectly paired with him as a Druid especially. But even after being in the presence of a real Angel, he didn¡¯t get any kind of Angelic options.


    All he had were the powers of Hell as the Secondary Classes before him. His only two options were to either take it or leave it. Jaco felt his heartbeat steadily thumping within his chest as he slowly weighed the possibilities within his mind. The current risk of accepting versus the future consequence of rejecting.


    Eventually, with a heavy sigh, he made a decision. Jaco would walk the path currently paved in front of him. Looking back at the list, he proceeded to once again expand each option. He had them all pop up and spaced out across the air in front of him.


    Now he just needed to decide which version of this path he was going to walk.  There were still technically five Secondary Classes to choose from, after all. Even if the Blight Warlock still made his stomach lurch with an instinctive feeling of disgust, it was left on the table for now.


    Jaco decided to ignore the Warlock for the time being. Right now he still didn¡¯t feel capable of looking at it from an object viewpoint. So he decided that he¡¯d just start from the top and consider each potential Class one at a time.


    As a tank that seemed to have both built-on offense and defense, the Brimstone Juggernaut would likely complement his bear aspect. Both with its Skills and the fact that it''d do for his Stats. Since the way it was wording, Jaco felt that he could safely assume the Stat Modifications would work in the same way as they did for his Class Evolution.


    Yet while the bear form was ol¡¯ reliable for a melee brawl, it was just one aspect of several. Jaco didn¡¯t necessarily want to pigeonhole himself by skewing too much into being an upclose fighter.


    And that was before considering how the warhammer would likely require both hands to wield and force him keep his staff stored. That and he just wasn¡¯t sure if the idea of being a walking tower of metal was really just his thing.


    One by one, Jaco went through each potential option and just couldn¡¯t quite click with any of them. Being a stealthy assassin archer was most definitely not his style. A Class focused around being some hedonistic deviant was quickly rejected from a purely moral feeling of grossness.


    In the end, just like his first Class selection, it came down to the final two on the list. The Hellfire Cultists was something of actual interest to him. Especially if the flames of Hell would still potentially be influenced by his Lesser Elemental Offense Ability. If so, then that might even further enhance his power to control them to a finer degree.


    Yet the potential to burn a person¡¯s very soul felt like it¡¯d too be much of a responsibility to weigh on his shoulders. Jaco had long since come to peace with his killing of that one member of the Chosen Few. And when he inevitably encountered more of them, he¡¯d be willing to kill them too for the sake of the greater good.


    But burning their souls to nothing? Jaco wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that prospect. Like would it actually be possible to effectively just delete a person from existence? And beyond the Chosen Few, what about any other human beings who tried to fight him. Would being deserving of death really be the same as deserving one¡¯s entire being to be destroyed?


    The young man wasn¡¯t sure if he could be trusted with dishing out that kind of judgment. Of who¡¯d be killed and who¡¯d be utterly annihilated. If he didn¡¯t want that kind of responsibility, then there was still just the last option on the list.


    Now looking at the Blight Warlock again, Jaco actually got an idea. What if his disgust toward it in particular could actually turn out to be a good thing? If that feeling was always there whenever he used its Class Abilities, then it¡¯d effectively act as a constant reminder. Wouldn¡¯t that lessen the risk of him eventually becoming drunk with Hellish power and help him retain his humanity?


    After thinking about it for another minute, Jaco decided that he liked that way of thinking. Of seeing these new powers as not a boon or punishment, but a burden to carry. So with that viewpoint now in mind, he finalized his selection.


    Secondary Class Gained: Blight Warlock!

 Chapter 43:

    Species Updated:


    Human to Hell-Touched Human


    Before Jaco could even fully process the newest notification, an almost overwhelming sensation overcame him. Even as the equipment for his new Class materialized out of thin air, he paid the items little heed. For a few moments, the entirety of his attention was forced elsewhere.


    Jaco¡¯s senses were expanded beyond his actual body. He felt a sense of oneness with the mold in the house¡¯s basement. A kinship with the oldest and now rotting bits of wood underneath the floor. Brotherhood with the long-dead flowers in a pot by the front door.  He was the decay, and the decay was him.


    But from deeper inside his being, that sense of oneness with decay was rejected by waves of pure disgust. Love towards the rot, hate toward the rot. Both feelings were equally true and powerful as they clashed inside him. Like oil and water, they¡¯d never be able to mix while within the shared space known as Jaco¡¯s very soul.


    What the Hell?! Jaco cursed as he was suddenly hit by a wave of pain. The young man¡¯s arms began to shake as it felt like someone had taken a cheese grater to his hands. At the same time, the gauntlets of his wooden armor started to blacken around his fingers.


    He hurriedly worked to pull the gauntlets off. Yet as soon as the first one was removed, his eyes widened with panic. Everything past the first knuckle of each finger had turned a dark purple. They had even wilted somewhat, becoming thinner and losing some of the flesh that surrounded the bone. Only jagged fragments were left of what used to be his fingernails. From them, there was a putrid pus that seemed to be oozing out without any signs of stopping.


    However, while his fingers appeared to be completely dead, it seemed to have no impact on their functionality. Jaco¡¯s sense of touch through them still felt normal, and they moved correctly when he flexed them. But it was just as he had assumed from the wording in the Class¡¯s description. It said that the first Blight Warlock had been blessed with the Devil¡¯s rotting fingers, and now he¡¯d received the same so-called blessing.


    Fortunately, the pain that came with the change was only temporary. So after another minute or so passed, he felt fine again. Yet while physically okay now, Jaco¡¯s thoughts were still racing with mental distress. Not just due to what happened to his fingers, but also from the earlier notification that he was currently reading.


    Hell-Touched Human¡­ fuck me. That¡¯s no small thing if it¡¯s actually enough for the System to adjust my Species like that. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll change beyond that as I advance this Secondary Class. But for now I still feel like me in terms of my thoughts and feelings. So as long as I¡¯m still concerned about these changes that¡¯s a good sign, right? Jaco asked himself.


    With that thought, he decided to pull up his Sheet and take a look at it.


    General Info:


    Species: Hell-Touched Human


    Level: 40


    Class: Druid


    Evolution: True Shifter


    Secondary Class: Blight Warlock


    Level: 1


    Stats:


    Strength: 139


    Agility: 90


    Endurance: 132


    Will: 108


    Spell Power: 149


    Unspent Points: 0


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Animal Instincts


    Passive: One With Nature


    Passive: Permanent Aspect One


    Passive: Wild Constitution


    Active: Lesser Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Lesser Beast Transformation


    Active: Minor Primal Ferocity


    Active: Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental


    Secondary Class Abilities:


    Active: Lesser Pestilent Swarm


    Active: Lesser Zone of Blight


    Active: Lesser Rotting Summon


    Holy shit! This new Class actually has a separate Level listed under it. Does that mean what I think it means? Jaco¡¯s eyes practically sparkled as he realized the possibilities.


    Before any Modifications were applied, each Level Up brought a humble increase of one Point to each of his Stats. So his Secondary Class started at Level 1 and had its progression separate from that of the Druid, then just how big of a boost could he gain from basically speedrunning its Levels?


    And that was still before the bonus to Will and Spell Power he¡¯d get from each Level. He assumed that the Stat Modifications from for his Druid Class wouldn¡¯t be applied since they were so directly separated in his Sheet. But the System would be more than welcome to prove that assumption wrong.


    After dismissing his Sheet, Jaco then turned toward the two new pieces of equipment that had come from the Secondary Class. He first decided to try something, and spent some Mana on Minor Plant Control on reversing the rot to his wooden gauntlets. But as soon as he put one of them back on, the wood quickly began to turn black and soften once again. He then grabbed onto his old staff, and watched as it too started to blacken in the area under his grip.


    Jaco realized that this could prove to be something of an issue for him. It¡¯d be no good if his Druid equipment was just completely incompatible with just his very touch. Yet he also didn¡¯t want to just abandon the items that had faithfully served him all this time in the Apocalypse.


    He eventually decided to do something that could be called a compromise. Jaco put the gauntlets of the wooden armor away inside his Bag of Holding. Since the Fungal Armor came with its own pair of what were more like gloves, he put them on.


    Pressed against his rotten fingers, they brought a feeling of rightness, like they were perfectly made for his hands. That feeling was of course quickly followed up by a twist in his stomach, making him worried that he might potentially vomit.


    The two very different kinds of equipment would probably look a bit funny with how much they contrasted in both color and texture. But as long as it functionally worked fine, appearance was a lesser concern.


    Jaco hoped that with the fungal gloves acting as the more appropriate item, they¡¯d also act as a barrier to protect his wooden staff. Yet when he tried to grab it again, the same result as before once again played itself out. But before he resigned himself to swapping over to the Decayed Staff, he remembered something. Rather than a weapon that strictly was aligned with being a Druid or a Blight Warlock, there was another option that was fully separate from his opposing Classes.


    Jaco put both staffs away into his bag, and pulled something else out in their stead.


    Hell Staff (Infernal, Artifact)


    This artifact has been enhanced to be both tougher and harder than most staffs. When damaged, it will automatically begin to self-repair up to a certain degree. Striking any object with the artifact will siphon off some extra, which can then build-up to be released as a blast of concussive force.


    Restriction: Can only be properly wielded by those who carry the Devil¡¯s Essence. Otherwise this artifact will feel supremely heavy to those without it.


    Current charge: 0/100


    As expected now that he had the Devil¡¯s Essence, the artifact¡¯s cumbersome weight was no longer a concern. Now alongside it, all the other artifacts that he¡¯d righteously plundered for himself were fully his to freely use. As far as compensation went for losing a piece of his humanity, having access to his own personal armory wasn¡¯t bad at all.


    But using the Hell Staff felt like a good solution. It was an Infernal artifact, so it wasn¡¯t truly neutral in terms of its affinity like the regular ones. But now he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about compatibility for either Class when it came to potentially using it as a conduit for their Abilities. Plus the enchantment it came with for its own kind of special attack certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    Jaco threw a glance at the woman on the other side of the room. She still seemed to be completely out cold. And over the last few minutes, he still hadn¡¯t heard her shift around or noticed any sudden changes in breathing. So since it appeared like she¡¯d remain unconscious for now, he decided to take the chance to step outside for a bit.


    After all, the Blight Warlock came with three new Class Abilities that still needed to be tried out.


    With soft steps, he made his way out of the room. And then it was only a minute later that Jaco found himself out of the house. He decided to climb back up to the top of the nearby hill. That would serve as a vantage point to see if there were any monsters that happened to have recently wandered by.


    When he then made his way to the top, the young man turned toward the ruined city in the distance. Yet as he stared at it, his brows furrowed at what he saw. It looked like some kind of red, almost slime-like aura encased the entire city. That had definitely not ever been there before. Yet more than just seeing it now, Jaco could practically feel that it was resonating with something inside him. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    He closed his eyes to concentrate and try to feel out just exactly what was going on here. A little while later, he felt something. And the moment the idea came to mind, a gut feeling quickly made him feel that it was correct.


    This wasn¡¯t just any aura covering city, but the Devil¡¯s Essence. It was exactly the same kind of energy as that currently inside his body. Now that he was focusing on it, Jaco soon realized a few more things. The first was that the Devil¡¯s Essence wasn¡¯t just in the city, but that it was simply the area with the highest density. Even from where he stood, he could feel it around him to a lesser degree.


    The second thing was that like Mana, Jaco sensed that this essence could act as fuel to him. However, that would only be true for the Class Abilities that came from the Blight Warlock. The third was that the comparison to Mana was surprisingly appropriate. While the two energies themselves were widely different, the closest way to relate them was that it was like they occupied a similar wavelength.


    It was actually quite an interesting idea to think about. Just how Mana and the Devil¡¯s Essence acted quite similarly as an ambient source of energy. Though Jaco didn¡¯t know of any instances where Mana could concentrate so much over just a single area, so there was that as one major difference.


    Yet just then, Jaco was pulled out of his thoughts by the noise of rustling. It sounded like multiple beings were currently moving through some bushes not far from the hill. And if his hearing served him correctly, he believed that this time it actually was a group of shambling Skeletons.


    His lips twisting upward into a smirk, he made his way down the hill. He didn¡¯t even bother to activate One With Nature, since there¡¯d be no need to be hidden from mere Skeletons. From there, it didn¡¯t take long at all before he came across them.


    Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 3


    Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 4


    Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 3


    There were only three of them in total. But even for basic Skeletons they were rather low Level, as the strongest one was only Level 4. With how weak they were as an average, these undead would barely count as meaningful test subjects. But without anything else around, they would just have to do.


    Upon seeing him, the undead did their good old silent warcry and immediately charged him. But Jaco was a being that was long past the point of even being scratched by them. Just the membrane across his eyeball would be tough enough to not feel their attacks. So as they failed to tickle him, he was busy deciding which of his new Abilities to try first.


    Summoning magic is always interesting in terms of games. So let¡¯s start with Lesser Rotting Summon, Jaco eventually thought to himself. He focused on the Ability, and his powerful gut instincts helped him quickly get a general grasp on what it could do.


    Jaco sensed that this Ability was actually a bit variable. In that the power of the summon scaled with how much Devil¡¯s Essence he spent on it. There did seem to be both a minimum and maximum amount he could spend a time, however.


    So he couldn¡¯t just spend it all at the opening of a battle and let a super strong summon do all the work for him. Since the current opponents were super weak, he decided to just settle with the minimum spending for now. He could also sense that he could pick where it¡¯d be summoned from, within a range of about thirty feet or so.


    A moment later, the ground just a few feet away from him started to shift. The dried-up dirt turned into a swirling mass of what almost seemed like mud, but was much darker. A truly horrible order wafted out from the spot, as if a fish had been left out for days and was then tossed into a microwave.


    Once again there was a contrast between the two sides of Jaco as the stench hit him. One part that enjoyed it like the smell of an old book, and the other that wanted to set that entire area on fire to cleanse it. But this dichotomy was something he had consciously chosen for himself. So even if it threw his brain for a loop, he still didn¡¯t regret his decision.


    Then from the dark whirlpool, a figure climbed its way out. And it could accurately be described as a somewhat humanoid mushroom monster. It was bipedal and approximately the size of a large dog.  With its main body being the stem, the brown cap at the top almost looked like an oversized hat.


    It didn''t appear to have a face or any other distinctive features. But as it stepped out of the now disappearing pool, the grass under its root-like feet rapidly started to wilt away. Out of curiosity, Jaco wanted to see if this creature was something recognized by the System.


    Rotshroom (Summon)


    Level: 10


    Jaco was somewhat amused by the name, but even more so by the Level. Since even at the minimum amount of Devil¡¯s Essence spent, this thing was still quite a bit stronger than the highest Level Skeleton present. He felt that the summon was mentally connected to him, and would only act as he commanded. There was currently only one order wanted to give: attack.


    The Rotshroom immediately acted and ran toward the trio of Skeletons. Its arms were more like tendrils, which is used as a whip as it slammed one into the back of an undead¡¯s leg. The bone was easily broken by the strike, but more interesting was what happened right after.


    A wave of rot spread both up and down where the summon had attacked. The ashen bone affected was darkened before crumbling into a fine powder. When a second leg was destroyed, the targeted Skeleton came tumbling down like a chopped tree. Where it only took one last strike for its skull to be crushed.


    EXP Earned!


    Secondary Class Level Up!


    Level 1 to Level 2


    With how truly mindless they were, the remaining pair of Skeletons didn¡¯t even react. They were just locked onto Jaco and wouldn¡¯t stop attacking him for anything. So it was because of that the Rotshroom encountered no resistance as it quickly killed the second one in the same manner.


    EXP Earned!


    Secondary Class Level Up!


    Level 2 to Level 3


    Yet before it finished the last one off, Jaco willed for it to stop. He felt it had done enough for now, and so decided to unsummon it. Just a second later, the Rotshroom melted back into a small puddle of dark gunk.


    As for the Skeleton, he had something else in mind for it. Jaco probably should have intervened after the first one was killed. But what¡¯s done was done. For now he would try Pestilent Swarm next and just test the last Ability later. So that¡¯s exactly what he did.


    Jaco felt out the Ability for a moment and then held his hand directly above the Skeleton. Then a second later, what had to be hundreds of tiny insects flew out from his glove. The moment they touched the undead¡¯s skull, they immediately began to destroy it.


    Some left just chewed through bone, other bugs sprayed powerful acids, others left behind a trail of mold wherever they crawled. It didn¡¯t take long until the Skeleton was so overwhelmed that it fell to the ground just from the combined mass of the many bugs on its head. Then just another few seconds later, Jaco stopped the Ability. The swarm immediately disappeared, leaving just a ruined stump at the top of the Skeleton¡¯s neck.


    EXP Earned!


    Secondary Class Level Up!


    Level 3 to Level 4


    Oh the feeling of rapidly progressing through the early Levels. How he had missed it and would be more than happy to experience it again.


    But it was then that he heard something else coming his way. An undead whose shambling was both familiar and distinctly different from that of a Skeleton. He turned and saw it slowly coming making its way through the brush.


    Ghoul (Undead)


    Level: 18


    A lone Ghoul outside the city? Now that was a first for him. He wondered if perhaps it was just a straggler from one of the hordes that were leaving the city en masse. That would at least make the most sense for how it ended up all the way out here. If Jaco had to bet, it was probably coming over due to being attracted by the sound of his ¡°battle¡± against the Skeletons.


    When it actually noticed him, Jaco decided to activate the last of his new Abilities: Zone of Blight. All he had to do was focus before it quickly went into effect.


    Within a 50 feet sphere around the target, death filled both the ground and very air. The smaller vegetation wilted away until there was practically no sign left of them ever existing. There was a loud groaning as the trees caught within the area of the effect also weren¡¯t spared. Parts of their trunks cracked as the bark rapidly dried out. Dozens of leaves fell at a time, but none ever reached the ground before turning into dust and being blown away.


    The Ghoul started its charge through the zone. But all it took was a single thought for Jaco to move the central point of the sphere alongside it. Even the undead wasn¡¯t spared from the fate of death that befell everything within the Ability¡¯s range.


    Its already rotten flesh took on a new cycle of rapid decay as hunks of old meat began to almost melt before sliding off its body. Yet while it was starting to slow the Ghoul down, it wasn¡¯t quite enough to fully impede its charge. A living person would probably have passed out from just the sheer agony already. But until its head fell off or was destroyed, the mindless undead would keep moving forward.


    At this rate, Jaco believed that it¡¯d probably take a while for the Ability to actually kill his target. But now that he understood what it did, there was no need to drag things out. The Druid raised a finger and shot out a beam of fire. The flames easily pierced through the Ghoul¡¯s skull, dropping it dead on the spot.


    EXP Earned!


    Secondary Class Level Up!


    Level 4 to Level 7


    Jaco frowned as he saw the notification. That should have easily been enough Experience to shoot the Class¡¯s Level into the teens at the very least. Yet the System was really claiming that the Ghoul wasn¡¯t enough to get it past the single digits?


    Unless¡­ is it being slowed down because my main Level is so much higher? Or because I did the finishing blow with a Druid Ability? It might be both, if I¡¯m being honest. I don¡¯t know if having two Classes is a circumstance the System was even made to be prepared for. But it makes sense that there¡¯d be some kind of limit set in place so you can¡¯t so easily exploit a Secondary Class for free Levels.


    He still wasn¡¯t quite sure why the System would have even been made with logic like video game balance in mind. It didn¡¯t quite make sense for something that was meant to be a tool of war for humanity to have a fighting chance. But that was just another thing on the very long list of questions for the Guardian Angel. At least it was nice to know that he could someday speak again with someone that actually had answers for him.


    But for the time being, he was done here. Jaco felt ready to go back to the house now. He¡¯d take the opportunity to just rest up and see how long it¡¯d take to restore the Devil¡¯s Essence he just spent.


    Soon, Jaco walked back into the building. Yet just as he was about to make his way toward the bedroom, he heard something. From the direction he was about to go toward, there was the creaking of a bed. He opened the door with narrowed eyes, and there he saw her.


    The woman he had rescued was now awake.

 Chapter 44:

    Evelyn fitfully twisted and turned in her sleep. Though the wounds across her back had already healed, they still emanated pangs of soreness. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead as recent memories unwelcomely surged through her subconsciousness in the form of dreams.


    Various bits and pieces of different scenes flashed through her mind. Of the first days of the Apocalypse, where her entire life was instantly turned upside down. How she had only gotten lucky by being away from the center of the city. Going to her family¡¯s home to try and find out if her parents were somehow okay, only to find a pair of Skeletons trapped under the rubble.


    She¡¯d been alone for a while after that. Just barely able to dance on the thin line of gaining Experience without eventually becoming just another name on the long list of casualties. But then Evelyn reached an event where she didn¡¯t have to just to survive on her own. Because she had come across a group of other people and joined them to face the Apocalypse¡¯s horrors together. Of that group, she eventually became friends with two others and turned into something of a leader of their smaller team.


    Her dream quickly flashed through the good times. Of them quickly growing stronger, and Evelyn able to take more risks now that there were people watching her back. They got past the teens and into their 20s for their Levels. And it even looked like they would all hit 30 and get their Class Evolutions at effectively the same time. Or at least, that¡¯s how it was supposed to go.


    Then just recently, she had been the first to hit that critical threshold. Yet she hadn¡¯t been able to enjoy the boost for long before something happened. When Evelyn needed to take a quick nap, she suddenly woke up to a blade being plunged straight toward her heart.


    She only just barely managed to avoid being killed on the spot, but still took a grave injury. The people she believed to be both her friends and comrades in arms had just tried to kill her.


    Everything after that was a blood, chaotic mess as they quickly tried to finish the job. In no condition to fight while hurt and outnumbered even with her superior Stats, she was forced to flee. And so she ran while they pursued throughout the maze of the ruined city. It was only thanks to an emergency Potion of Healing that she always kept close that she was even still alive.


    Until today, when she finally managed to get out of the city¡¯s boundaries. Evelyn¡¯s already messy dreams were even more of a hazy mess for the last day¡¯s events. By this point she¡¯d been running and fighting for so long that she could hardly have discerned up from down. All she could even recall was that right before everything went dark, there was a blurry figure in front of her. One that almost seemed to be that of a man.


    Evelyn¡¯s eyes snapped open. But the moment the redhead¡¯s vision focused, her heart immediately began to race. She was absolutely certain that she¡¯d been outside just a moment ago. So why the Hell was there a ceiling right above her?!


    Her survival instincts instantly kicked into full gear upon finding herself waking up in an unfamiliar location. She sat up and got off the bed with a start. Evelyn looked around the room, and her gaze met those of another''s. Just as she had gotten up, a man with strange-looking armor had walked in.


    The memories of being randomly attacked in her sleep still fresh on her mind, the Warrior¡¯s body instantly went into fight or flight. There was a flash of light as she¡¯d activated her new Ability as a Flashblade Blitzer. She rapidly crossed the room and closed space between them. And then threw a glowing punch aimed straight for the man¡¯s throat.


    Unlike most Warriors, Agility was her primary Stats. And that was also the main reason why she¡¯d chosen a Class Evolution focused around utilizing that Stat.


    Yet despite throwing a punch that most around her Level likely couldn¡¯t even react to, her strike didn¡¯t meet her target¡¯s neck. She instead watched as his eyes seemed to perfectly track her incoming fist. And before Evelyn realized what was going to happen and change course, he quickly reached out and caught her fist with one hand.


    Even with her full momentum behind the attack, it only managed to push him back by a couple inches at most. She might as well have just punched a touch wall with how he seemingly barely even felt it.


    Evelyn blinked with surprise. Both at what just happened and then even more so at what came after. Because instead of retaliating, the man just as quickly released his grip. She immediately jumped back to create a gap between them.


    What the fuck?! Just how strong is this guy?! Wondering what the Hell kind of person she was dealing with, Evelyn hurriedly tried to find out.


    Druid (Hell-Touched Human)


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.Evolved (True Shifter)


    Level: 40


    Upon seeing the golden screen, her eyes nearly popped straight out of their sockets. In an instant, her already confused mind was only thrown into even further chaos. What was up with it saying this guy was a Hell-Touched Human? Was he born human or some kind of new monster? And if not, how did one even change their listed Species?


    But despite all those things being completely absurd, there was one part even more so than the rest. And that was his frankly ridiculously high Level at fucking 40.


    ¡°It¡¯s even higher than L-,¡± she swallowed, suddenly remembering herself. ¡°-Than any Level I¡¯ve ever seen before. Just how many things did you even kill to get it up so high?¡± Evelyn asked as she warily backed up by several steps.


    ¡°More than I can count. But honestly, I only needed one kill to get the last few Levels. If you¡¯ve ever had to worry about hiding from the Minotaur, that won¡¯t be a concern anymore. But may I know your name?¡± the Druid calmly replied.


    The redhead¡¯s eyes widened even further at that. On any other day with anyone else, she would have called that as total bullshit. She¡¯d never been able to even see the Minotaur¡¯s Level, much less even dreamed of that monster being killable. But as far as an explanation went for this man¡¯s Level, that normally impossible claim now seemed to very likely be the truth.


    ¡°...It¡¯s Evelyn,¡± she said while glancing around the room. The doorway was on the other side of the high Level man, but worst comes to worst, she could always just bust through the wall.


    ¡°Alright, Evelyn, I¡¯m Jaco. I hope you don¡¯t mind this. But now that you¡¯re awake, I was hoping you might answer a few questions for me. It¡¯s not everyday that you come across someone who¡¯s reached a Class Evolution, after all. Much less one that¡¯s outside the city and passing out from exhaustion,¡± the man apparently called Jaco said.


    The Flashblade Blitzer¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she took another half-step back. She didn¡¯t immediately respond, and so the Druid continued.


    ¡°But I¡¯m just curious about a few things. Like who are and how you¡¯ve survived the Apocalypse so far. And if you did so by yourself, or if perhaps you¡¯re a member of¡­ a group?¡± he asked. There was a shift in tone in his last words. It was only a slight difference, but definitely notable.


    A few seconds passed as Evelyn looked at him. Finally, she decided that not saying a word would only hurt her. ¡°I was with a team for a while. We¡­ we had a falling out. Made me run for my life, and that¡¯s how I ended up here.¡±


    ¡°Would you be able to tell me more about your team? Or what led up to what happened between you?¡±


    The redhead felt a twinge of irritation. There was an old saying about trusting people who only asked more and more questions. Especially if they didn¡¯t give many answers of their own in return.


    ¡°I was betrayed. Which is already pretty personal to tell someone I met all of five seconds ago. But now I have a question of my own. What are we doing here, like why would someone so high in Level even bother helping me?¡± she asked in turn.


    ¡°You collapsed right in front of me and seemed to be in distress. How could I not help out and at least take you somewhere safe?¡± he said after just a moment of thought.


    Evelyn¡¯s eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°Sorry, but I know when something sounds too good to be true. It¡¯s a dog eat dog world these days, where you can¡¯t turn your back to anyone. So what¡¯s the real story, huh? Did you just want to toy with me before killing me off, is that it?¡± she practically spat out.


    ¡°Of course not. If I had wanted to do anything, wouldn¡¯t I have at least tried to restrain you? Or taken away your weapon, if nothing else? I know the world¡¯s a harsh place, even more so since the Apocalypse. But is it really that hard to believe that I just wanted to do the right thing?¡± Jaco countered.


    The redhead stared at him. Even without looking down to double check, she could indeed feel the weight of her blade at her side. Yet something about his words pressed a nerve.


    You know what? Thanks! Now if you¡¯re happy, I¡¯ll be on my way. Because I think I¡¯d rather deal with this Hellhole on my own.¡± With that, Evelyn stomped her way toward the door. The Druid, for his part, took a few steps back and gave a wide berth.


    Yet as Evelyn only reached in the middle of the hallway, she stumbled from a sudden wave of vertigo. Pain flared toward the side of her torso, making her lose her breath. But as she started to collapse, a helping hand came from behind to catch her.


    ¡°Fucking damn it,¡± Evelyn cursed under her breath. The Potion of Healing must have not done as much as she¡¯d hoped. While there didn¡¯t appear to be any external damage, it seemed to be a bit of a different story internally. Perhaps not enough to be life threatening, but she was still in no condition to move around too much.


    As she stood back up, the Druid let her go and took a respectable step away. The redhead glanced at the man and met his gaze. After a second passed for their staring contest, he sighed.


    ¡°Look, you¡¯re clearly injured. And I really just don¡¯t have it in me to walk away from someone that could use my help. I understand if you don¡¯t want it. But until you¡¯re fixed up, I¡¯d argue that it¡¯s something you need. At least for the time being, alright?¡± Jaco offered, putting his foot down.


    Evelyn took a deep breath. She tried to force her frazzled brain to calm down and clearly assess the current situation. If the Level 40 monster before standing in front of her had wanted to try something, he could have easily done so by now.


    Someone that was overwhelmingly more powerful had no need to lie or be deceitful, logically.  She was painfully well aware that they could still be deceitful, just for the sake of it. But that logically didn¡¯t seem to apply to what was happening now. Eventually, she released the breath as a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±

 Chapter 45:

    Two people walked through a forest. Their footsteps were loud as their boots crunched against the layer of dead leaves that covered the ground. As they moved, Jaco glanced back over his shoulder. Following from several feet behind him was the redheaded Warrior, Evelyn.


    They had hung around the house for some time. But the building itself had already been picked clean of food and other essential supplies. To the point where it was kinda surprising that it still had the mattress for the bed. However, Jaco did still have plenty of rations and such within his Bag of Holding. Since one of the benefits of his high Stats was a decreasing need for food and sleep, he¡¯d mostly just been saving up the rations he did find.


    So it was with those and some fire magic that Jaco decided that what both he and Evelyn could use was a hot meal. It hadn¡¯t been anything fancy, just canned food cooked with dried meat into a heavily processed stew. While they ate, Jaco had attempted to strike up some conversation in the form of small talk.


    However, that wasn¡¯t exactly something Evelyn had proved to be receptive to. As she mostly gave just short answers in a few words or even simpler replies as shrugs. For the most part, the failed attempt at conversing and learning more about her had only led to an air of somewhat awkward silence.


    But after they finished eating, Jaco ultimately decided that it was time for them to leave. There simply wasn¡¯t just much point to staying in a building that had nothing else to offer. Sure it was a roof over their heads. Yet in terms of somewhere safe for them to stay while Evelyn recovered, he actually had a better location in mind.


    And so she had willingly decided to follow after him. Jaco knew that there were vast swathes of forest directly to the east of the city. Which was where they were currently at as he led them through the woods. He was less certain about exactly how long they¡¯d been walking now, however. But it felt like it might have already been somewhere close to an hour or two.


    I do wonder where she¡¯s from or what exactly she¡¯s been up to all this time. I know she wasn¡¯t part of the camp when I was last there. She¡¯d have to have been a reasonably high Level those couple weeks ago to reach Level 30 by now, and I don¡¯t remember anyone like that named Evelyn. Granted, that¡¯s assuming that Evelyn is even her real name. And since I was only there for a few days, it¡¯s not like I actually had the chance to meet every single scavenger that might have been gone at the time, Jaco thought to himself.


    Yet the Druid had decided against airing his curiosities out loud for now. Evelyn had proved herself to not exactly be the most avid conversationalist. And she became especially clammed up when he even vaguely tried to learn more about her as a person in the Apocalypse. Out of the little he had gotten, Jaco wasn¡¯t sure how much was the truth, lies of omission, or just flat out lies.


    Yet when it came to the fact that she¡¯d been betrayed, that was something Jaco did believe. There¡¯d been an aspect to her voice that felt too full of venom and hurt to seem like it¡¯d just been made up. And he trusted a gut feeling that told him that it was truly genuine.


    So that was partially the reason why Jaco had gone with his decision to insist on helping her. Perhaps those with Evelyn had tried to kill her for her Experience. Or maybe there was simply more to the story that he didn¡¯t know yet. A ¡°falling out¡± wasn¡¯t exactly the most descriptive of stories. Which meant that there could be any sort of reason behind the instigating events leading to what happened.


    From that perspective, Jaco fully understood why she¡¯d be wary of trusting anyone immediately. Especially when said someone was so many Levels above her one and could kill her at any time. But at the same time, that fact had actually been helpful in getting her to eventually calm down. Since he was so much stronger anyway, there was no need to play the game of fake trust just to get her guard down.


    ¡°So¡­ where exactly are we going anyway? You weren¡¯t exactly specific about it before,¡± Evelyn asked, finally breaking the silence. The Druid paused in place as he then turned back toward her.


    ¡°Hmm. Dunno if you¡¯re aware of it, but there¡¯s a camp of survivors a few miles outside the city. It has a fair number of people and its location means that it¡¯s pretty out of the way in terms of potential dangers. So I figure that it¡¯ll be a safe place for us to hunker down for a while until you recover. Plus I¡¯ve actually been meaning to get back there sooner or later, for my own reasons,¡± Jaco answered.


    As he spoke, the young man carefully watched his new companion¡¯s face. Yet there didn¡¯t seem to be any real noticeable changes in expression at the mention of the encampment.


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s fine then. As long as it keeps me out of that damned city for a few days, I honestly don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a legit camp or just a shit hole. So just how much farther is it? Evelyn asked.


    ¡°Well we¡¯ve been walking for a bit now. But I think we were almost on the opposite side of the city from where the camp¡¯s located. So at this pace, it¡¯ll probably still be at least a few more hours. Our Agility Stats should be high enough to shorten that by quite a lot if we actually moved at full speed. But we¡¯re not really gonna be able to move any faster than this for the time being.¡±


    The redhead didn¡¯t respond, but they both knew that it¡¯d be due to her internal injuries. From what little Jaco could tell, Evelyn¡¯s build seemed to highly skew toward Agility as a main Stat. And since the internal wound was still bothering her even after some time, he assumed that her Endurance was probably pretty low for her Level. But it meant that they wouldn¡¯t be able to move very quickly without it acting up again like just earlier.


    Yet that was actually not such a bad thing in his mind. With everything that had recently happened, Jaco could actually appreciate the chance to enjoy a somewhat relaxing walk through the forest. The relatively clean air was a godsend when compared to the city where it was constantly filled with ash and other particles. It made for a good opportunity to clear his thoughts a bit. After the events inside the giant fortress, a mental reset would be nice.


    However, there was a bit of an issue. One that he had just now realized after taking the time to stop and look around to try and pinpoint where they currently were. Jaco¡¯s actual sense of direction had never quite been the best.


    It¡¯d just been easier to orient himself in the city after the second stage of the Apocalypse, since there was the megastructure in the center. Before that, there¡¯d been a reason why he accidentally drifted toward the inner city where there was more danger. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Which was to say, Jaco actually didn¡¯t know where they were anymore.


    ¡°So to be completely honest. I¡­ I think we might be lost,¡± he admitted.


    ¡ª--


    Sam was currently taking a stroll through the camp. It was a nice day out. Or at least as nice as it could be when the weather was seemingly never changing. At least it felt just a little bit warmer than usual, anyway.


    ¡°Hey there Granny, everything alright today?¡± Sam asked an older woman she passed by. Granny was probably one of if not the oldest member of their encampment. But she was also arguably the hardest working outside the scavengers that ventured into the city¡¯s dangers.


    Warrior (Human)


    Level: 16


    It was also thanks to Granny that she and a lot of others had managed to raise their Levels. Because while Alex had been responsible for recently bringing a splinter of an undead horde for people to kill, convincing the non-combatants to actually do so could have been much harder.


    But Granny had been the first to put her foot forward. Like the youth before her, she¡¯d been inspired by the spark of the Druid that quickly entered and left their company like a tide. So when the person that did much of the cooking and handing out rations said that it was time to be brave, people were quicker to listen when getting to eat was on the line.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m fine dearie, just the same as ever. I heard Alex came back not long ago and gained another Level. I still think that poor boy¡¯s pushing himself too hard though. I swear that whenever I see him, he¡¯s gained three new scars before the last one fully fades away. Even with magical healing, it can¡¯t be good for him,¡± Granny said with a small shake of her head.


    Sam gave a light smile. ¡°I can try and ask if he¡¯d wanna take a day or two off. But I don¡¯t think my suggestion would amount to much, if I¡¯m being honest. When it comes to stubbornly charging forward, I think an actual bull would get out of his way before he stopped. Yet I can say that he is being smart about it, at the very least. We have a rotating schedule set for expeditions that give each team a chance to rest. So even if Alex wants to constantly keep moving, he¡¯s responsible enough to not push his team ragged.¡±


    Granny nodded, and Sam moved on to continue her stroll through the camp. She occasionally stopped by to talk to a few more people though. Just to see if there was anything that needed her attention and just as a general way to actively gauge the current mood of the gathered survivors.


    But at the moment, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything new that¡¯d be of real importance. Their ration store was in a good place now at around a month¡¯s worth of reserves. If there was one main benefit of additional scavengers, it was the greatly increased rate of supplies brought back.


    Yet her stroll was paused as she spotted a tall man. It was exactly the person she¡¯d actually been keeping an eye out for while walking around the camp.


    The person Sam then approached was her leader, Noah. Having just recently returned to their commune a little while ago, she wanted to catch him up with the latest happenings. He¡¯d been gone for some time now in a bid to get stronger in the city, so there was quite a bit to go through.


    After greeting him, Sam started on a basic rundown of all the important updates that¡¯d happened in his absence. There were only a few things, which was never a bad thing considering the current times. But after that, she started to give him a further summary of recent events as they walked together.


    ¡°So I can now confirm that the average Level has now gone up from 14 to 15 while you were away. We did have one death in the meantime, however. Unfortunately, a boy in Alex¡¯s group attempted to fight a pair of Ghouls after being split up from his team with the intent to cover more ground. Or at least, that¡¯s the story they claimed after returning,¡± Sam explained.


    ¡°They claimed? Do you suspect that it was actually foul play?¡± Noah asked. The Mage frowned , deepening the wrinkles on his forehead.


    Despite having only turned 30 a few months ago, the weight of leadership had visibly aged him by several years. But that was only really true for his face and expression. Even with a Mage¡¯s halved progression of physical Stats, the cumulative bonus from his gained Levels did their job to return his body to its physical prime.


    ¡°Not necessarily. But right now they¡¯re effectively under house arrest while Alex grills them for answers. Since they¡¯re his group, he¡¯s taken it upon himself to find out exactly what happened. The fact that it even happened is unfortunate. However, I¡¯m glad that he¡¯s at least acting like an actual leader and taking responsibility. I know that he gets along well with the other teens, so it¡¯s good that he¡¯s not trying to excuse them too easily or anything like that,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Hmm, alright. We¡¯ll keep a close eye on it then. But for now, I¡¯ll trust Alex to handle it as he thinks is best. Is there anything else that I should know about? ¡± Noah asked.


    ¡°There actually is just one more thing. As soon as you came back, Alex actually wanted you to know that there¡¯s something else he¡¯s worried about. When he returned from a mission earlier today, he said there was something off about the number of undead. He believes that there were a lot less of them around right before he made his way back. Alex felt that it was strange, and said it was serious enough for you to know about.¡±


    Noah¡¯s head tilted slightly to the side as he considered what she just said. ¡°Well¡­ that actually makes sense. On my way out of the city, I also noticed that there were less undead in the way than normal. I didn¡¯t think too much of it at the time, but-¡±


    His next words were interrupted by the sudden bellowing of an alarm. Multiple people were banging metal against metal, signaling a major emergency.


    ¡°HORDE! There¡¯s a massive horde of undead coming straight toward us!¡± a voice cried out.


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. She turned toward her leader, who also seemed shocked for a moment. But his gaze quickly narrowed as he glanced over to her.


    ¡°Come on! We need to head to the wall and see what¡¯s going on!¡± Noah exclaimed with a serious look. Nodding, Sam followed right behind him as they quickly moved to the side of the perimeter where the panic was coming from.


    There was chaos across the camp as they moved. Nobody had expected a sudden emergency like this as the air was filled with the sound of panicked yelling. Noah was shouting left and right at people, telling them to hide away the children too young to defend themselves.


    Sam¡¯s heart was rapidly beating within her chest. Even the splinter horde led here by Alex hadn¡¯t caused this kind of alarm. At least when that happened, they¡¯d been warned a bit ahead of time. They eventually reached the wall, where many others had already gathered. Sam nodded at Burt and Adam as she stepped beside them. But when she looked out to the area past the wall, her eyes widened with fear.


    Slowly and steadily moving ever closer was what could only be called a sea of undead. The hordes she¡¯d seen before easily had hundreds. But this was something else entirely. There had to be thousands upon thousands of Skeletons in the collectively shambling mass.


    ¡°There¡¯s just way too fucking many. It¡¯d be one thing if there were just normal Skeletons. But do you see how many Ghouls and Skeleton Mages are mixed in there?¡± Burt muttered.


    Sam glanced over at Noah biting his lip as he stared at the grey ocean of bones. Would they try to hunker down? Grab everything they could and evacuate?


    He was their leader. So they all looked to him to make the decision that could decide their fate.

 Chapter 46:

    Pandemonium. Like the reaper bringing down his scythe, it had suddenly swept across the encampment of survivors.


    Sofia tightly hugged a rabbit doll close to her chest. She and her friends had been playing near one edge of the camp when the alarm was sounded. They had run off to find the adults, but Sophia had frozen up. The little girl whimpered as she¡¯d found herself unable to move or even yell out for someone to notice her.


    She just watched as on the far wall, a large crowd gathered. The Scouts with their bows synched up their shots as they loosed volley upon volley of arrows. At the same time, the Mages unleashed powerful and explosive attacks of their own.


    But the explosions, yelling, and panic were all too much for her. It was just too close to what happened on the day she lost her mommy and daddy. Yet even as the other kids were gathered together and brought somewhere for hiding, none would remember to mention how she¡¯d been left behind.


    And with her in such an often forgotten area far away from everything else, nobody had run over. So all the little girl could do was watch from her spot as she remained like a trembling statue. At least for a while, it seemed like things might be okay as the denizens of the camp collectively pooled their strength together.


    However, it didn¡¯t take much longer before it all started to go wrong. The cacophony of Mana-based explosions were the first to die down as the Mages quickly drained through their Mana. Soon after, the Scouts also ran out and were unable to create more arrows.


    The camp did have a supply of actual arrows that were manually made by hand. So they switched over to those as people started to run back and forth to resupply the archers.


    But as the arrows were constantly being fired, even the stockpile they¡¯d made was very quickly being used up. So it was only several minutes later that the last of hundreds of arrow volleys was let loose. And when the Scouts looked back for someone to give them more, they found instead themselves empty handed.


    At that point was when they suffered the first casualties. One moment a group of people were working together to chuck large rocks off the wall. The next, a blast of ice magic hit them dead-on and partially flash froze them. The men and women of the camp yelled out with panic as the undead were then close enough for their own Skeleton Mages to assault them in kind.


    Everyone on the wall was a valid target for the ice attacks. A Warrior tried to block a spell with his shield, but underestimated it and was frozen solid. Another man tried to get out of the way of a frosty blast. Yet it still caught his arm, which then shattered against the ground after he fell down. The once seemingly defensible perimeter had now become a death trap.


    Sofia could only watch as things just continued to escalate from bad to worse. The screams and yelling from the people of the camp was soon drowned out by one noise. The rattling of countless bones as a seemingly never ending army of Skeletons started to breach the walls.


    An awful screeching then began to pierce the air. Some Skeletons formed a pile that stacked on top of each other. Those at the top climbed over the pile and directly stepped onto the wall. While the Skeletons at the bottom simply just tried to mindlessly claw their way through the barricade.


    A man covered in grime then ran toward the little girl. His eyes widened upon seeing Sophia, and her¡¯s in turn became filled with tears. Someone had finally come for her! To save her and bring her to wherever the others were hiding!


    But instead of grabbing the little girl, the man just shut his eyes and mumbled something that she couldn¡¯t hear. And before Sophia even realized it, the man had already ran past her and reached the closest section of the wall. Where he even quickly climbed over it and jumped to the other side. Away from the side being breached by the horde of undead. And away from the camp that was currently being swarmed by their sheer numbers.


    There was a harsh truth to the Apocalypse, where it was particularly brutal to the young children. While all of humanity had been given the gift of the System, it hadn¡¯t done so equally. While little kids did have a Level and Stats like everyone else, they¡¯d never received the option to pick a Class.


    It had seemed that there was a cut-off for that critical feature. Where it appeared that only those at least in their early teens had quickly gotten the chance to choose their Class. But it meant that the people below that age were particularly helpless. Since on top of the disadvantages that being so young already carried in a changed world such as this, they couldn¡¯t even use any Abilities.


    Seeing the man run away caused something to snap inside the little girl. Of knowing how he had superpowers like all the other older people, unlike her. But he¡¯d still decided to flee anyway even with those powers.


    Clutching her rabbit even tighter, tears began to stream down her face. Yet even as Sophia started crying, that shift inside her spurred into movement. One moment she¡¯d been locked in place and unable to move or even utter a single word. But seeing that man run away had ignited something deep inside her and allowed her legs to start going.


    But Sohpia didn¡¯t get far as she tried to run through the chaos. To try and find where her friends and all the other kids were being hidden. But the little girl didn¡¯t get far as she heard something clang from off to the side. Startled, she tripped on her own foot and fell to the dirt.


    She whimpered with pain as her arms slid against the dry ground. Sophia then turned as there was another clang of metal even closer now. Yet her blood immediately turned cold. A Skeleton dressed in crude armor was shambling straight for her.


    Sophia screamed for her mother as she shut her eyes and curled into a ball. The undead raised a broadsword, aiming to split the little girl in two with just one swift attack. But before its blade was brought down, there was a whistle in the air. Then the thump of something heavy crashing into the ground.


    ¡°Come on, it isn¡¯t safe here! Take my hand!¡±


    Sophia opened her eyes, and they widened. She instantly recognized the person who¡¯d just come to her aid. It was the new hero of the camp¡¯s youth, Alex the Warrior.


    ¡ª--


    Alex surveyed the chaos as the camp had fallen into disarray. He¡¯d just finished taking away the little girl and dropping her off at the entrance of the hidden bunker.


    It was an underground hideout that they¡¯d been digging out for the last couple of weeks. And if it was ever compromised, they¡¯d also dug an escape tunnel from it to an exit point further out from the camp. For now though, it was still the safest place for the children and anyone else that couldn¡¯t fight. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He looked to those he¡¯d just gathered by sweeping through the camp to organize them. A squad of teens who had their weapons ready for the battle before them. Once they were just the Level 10 greenhorns that were led by Jaco for their first real expedition. Now they were a team of battle hardened fighters that had learned to not blink even in the face of a charging group of undead.


    As a team, they were used to going farther into the city and its dangers than most other scavengers dared. So while they were all tense from the ongoing chaos of the invading horde, the teens maintained discipline as they awaited directions from their leader.


    ¡°Listen up! As of right now, things aren''t as bad as they appear! For the moment, the horde is still mostly being contained near the front! But that balance could change at any second as more keep pouring in! Evelyn! I want you and two others to make a sweep around the area! I already found one straggler, so there¡¯s likely more!¡± Alex barked. With the current level of noise all around, he had to yell for them to even hear him.


    ¡°The rest of you are with me! We¡¯re going to go straight for the wall to help lock it back down! Let¡¯s move!¡±


    With that order, the teens set out. One smaller team of three broke away to fulfill their task of checking for any undead that managed to slip past the frontline. While the rest of them under Alex went out to act as reinforcements for those defending the perimeter.


    Even with the chaos of people running around, they remained a tightnit unit while navigating through it. When they soon arrived at the front, Alex didn¡¯t waste any time as he jumped straight into the fray.


    Most of the undead were just the typical riff raff of basic Skeletons. Those he could leave to the other defenders, especially as more and more Warriors and Martial Artists were arriving to help. Initially, it had mostly just been the Scouts and Mages manning the wall due to their ranged prowess. But now that the fight had broken into a melee, those who made it their specialty were now answering the call to join the battle.


    So what Alex instead focused on were the stronger Skeleton Warriors. Even with their recently gained Levels, those weren¡¯t something that most of the defenders could handle yet. They just didn¡¯t have the experience necessary to fight foes that actually had powerful Ability-like attacks of their own.


    Sword and shield in hand, the teen became a whirlwind of undead destruction. With every swing of his blade, bones went flying as a Skeleton met its final end. His gaze then became laser-focused on a Skeleton Warrior as it entered his vision.


    Alex raised his blade and swung it down to release a horizontal Slash. The arc of cutting force tore its way through every undead in its path. His target tried to raise its own shield in a bid to block the attack. But it barely made a difference as his Slash easily tore through its defenses like a hot knife through butter.


    Behind him, his team spread out to do whatever they could in each spot where the help was most needed. Thanks to the challenges that came with regularly venturing into the city, they were prepared for this. When it came to handling sudden battles with large groups of undead, Alex¡¯s team was a well-oiled machine.


    With a section of undead mostly taken care of, Alex made the decision to take a step back and allow others to handle what was left. Like his team, his focus needed to be on the hotspots. But as he made his way to another section of the perimeter, something got to the next undead before him.


    A ball of Mana flew through the air above them and the Skeleton Warrior in their midst. And when it reached the space in the middle, it exploded into a shower of smaller bolts. Each one tore through the ranks of undead, while several slammed into the Warrior and quickly overwhelmed it.


    ¡°Alex!¡± a voice yelled out. He turned to the source and saw Sam quickly making her way toward him.


    ¡°Sam!¡± He hurriedly made his way to her in turn. The Mage¡¯s robes were covered in bits of frost and mud, but she otherwise seemed unharmed.


    ¡°Things went to Hell right after we got hit by a volley of ice! What¡¯s the current situation?!¡± Sam loudly asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re containing most of the undead here at the front so far! As long as the wall itself holds up, it actually isn¡¯t that bad while only so many can come in at a time! So for the time being, we just need to focus on regaining control and getting things stabilized!¡± he quickly explained.


    But it was then that a set of guttural, inhuman screams rang across the perimeter. They both turned to see that a group of several Ghouls had arrived. They¡¯d just smashed through the weakest link of the wall, the hastily made barricade blocking the front entrance. Circling in the air above them was well over two dozen Sirens.


    Both Alex and Sam both cursed. While the elites of the camp could handle Ghouls, that was by no means true for the average member. It looked like this battle wasn¡¯t going to end well for them anytime soon.


    ¡ª--


    Jaco had just admitted that they were currently lost in the forest. But he wasn¡¯t too worried about it. Since as far as problems went, this was one that could be pretty handedly solved with magic.


    ¡°Now the good news,¡± Jaco continued before Evelyn could reply. ¡°Is that there¡¯s actually a pretty easy way for us to get unlost. So just wait right here for one second.¡±


    ¡°Wait? Wait for wha-¡± Evelyn started to ask. But she was interrupted as the form of the man before her quickly began to shift.


    His body shrunk down as his clothes were exchanged for feathers. The Druid¡¯s arms turned into a pair of wings, and his feet became a set of talons. Within just a few seconds, a hawk stood where Jaco had just been. Eveyn¡¯s eyes widened as her mouth gaped at the sudden transformation. Yet before the surprised redhead could say anything else, the hawk spread its wings and rapidly shot upward.


    Jaco couldn¡¯t help himself from internally smirking just a little. Not counting that guy from the Chosen Few, Evelyn was the first human who¡¯d get to see the new Ability of his Class Evolution. And it was always a nice feeling to show off, just from time to time.


    Anyway, he flew past the top of the forest and continued to fly higher up. The world below became small and distant as Jaco ascended into the sky. Yet he didn¡¯t go too far up.


    That was a lesson already learned from when he first played around with his hawk form. He¡¯d once tried to fly high enough to get into the orange-red clouds that acted as a neverending ceiling during the Apocalypse. Jaco had hoped to fly past the clouds and get above. Just so that he could see the sun again for the first time in nearly two months.


    But Jaco never quite made it to that point. Before he even reached the clouds, his gut instincts started to warn him of an impending sense of doom. And as he flew a bit higher past that initial sense, that feeling had only continued to grow louder and stronger. It was then that the Druid decided not to test fate by pushing it any further. So it was with some regret that his hope of seeing the sun again was put away for the time being.


    The Druid still didn¡¯t know what the actual cause was that triggered his instincts. As the simple curiosity of finding out didn¡¯t quite seem worth the unknown dangers involved. So with that in mind, there was a limit to the height he could safely fly at.


    Jaco scanned the horizon as he flew around. His hawk vision allowed him to quickly ascertain their surroundings. With the tall towers of the giant fortress in the city as an easily spotted landmark, he was swiftly able to orient himself.


    Let¡¯s see here. If the fort is right there, then the camp should be this way. So I should only need to fly a bit before being able to see its outline and confirming that, he thought to himself.


    It didn¡¯t take him long before he flew over to a point where the camp should have entered his sight. Yet instead of just spotting the encampment and then flying back down to Evelyn, Jaco¡¯s wings stuttered mid-flap. It took the Druid a moment just to fully process what he was seeing.


    Oh no! Shit! Jaco cursed. The camp itself was barely visible as it was being buried. Columns of smoke were rising from it and into the sky.


    From this far away, it looked like it was being covered by a swarm of grey ants. But he was quickly able to recognize it as a horde of undead, and a rather large one at that. He couldn¡¯t even begin to count just how many there were in total. But the actual number didn¡¯t truly matter in the face of what was happening. There would be no time for him to waste. They needed to get over there as soon as possible.


    Because the camp was under attack.

 Chapter 47:

    Sam heavily swallowed. The second worst day of her life was apparently just getting worse by the minute. It¡¯d been bad enough when a line of Skeleton Mages had bombarded them with a sudden wave of ice attacks. But now both Sirens and Ghouls would need to be contended with.


    And while the Sirens weren¡¯t the highest Level of monsters, that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t a threat. Their claws could still do a lot of harm with just a single swipe. Even for the average person here being Level 15, they¡¯d still be dangerous for anyone whose Stats didn¡¯t mainly focus around Endurance.


    The Mage grinded her teeth. Her mind quickly worked to try and figure out what their next step would be. She¡¯d gotten separated from Noah after the volley of ice magic and the following swarming of the walls. But as Sam had been moving around, she believed that she saw a glimpse of his face through the crowd. That he¡¯d been leading the defense of a different section of the camp¡¯s perimeter.


    But there would be no way to quickly get to him and organize the best move for the defenders over here. Time was a luxury the now entering Ghouls wouldn¡¯t give him. As the highest person in their leadership structure in the immediate vicinity, Sam was the one with the most authority. Which meant that only she could take charge and make the critical decision.


    Sam quickly glanced over at Alex. The teen stood at the ready with his sword and shield. He was already more than ready to charge straight into the group of Ghouls and meet them head on. But while he might be able to fight them, he¡¯d have to get to them first. So would that actually even be the right move?


    What about the defenders closest to the undead that¡¯d have to deal with them in the meantime? Would they really be able to hold the line long enough? Until Alex or the other elites could force their way through the chaotic battlefield? But would sending most of their heavy hitters in one spot be the best decision? What about the other places that could use their help at the same time, as more and more undead continue to pour in?


    But as quickly as she tried to consider the possibilities, reality moved even quicker. The Ghouls met the first line of defense. And even a wall of Warriors tried their best to hold together with greater numbers, it was for naught.  The undead showed the true tyranny of having a higher average Level as they easily began to overwhelm the defenders.


    To the chainmail of a Warrior, the Ghouls¡¯ fists were practically warhammers swung by those with a much higher Strength than their armor could handle. A person¡¯s equipment could only be so strong relative to the power of the one that wielded it. And with how their shields bent from the force of blocking one swing, they might as well have been made of hard plastic.


    Then as they were already having to give their full attention to the undead, Sirens dived from the air to swipe at their heads and backs. Dealing with a threat from both in front and above was simply an impossible task for defenders that were largely inexperienced at real battle.


    Things had only just started to stabilize at the frontline. But now with this overwhelming assault, the tide was quickly turning against the people of the camp. There was simply no more time to waste on trying to think.  After having rapidly weighed the risks, Sam made a final decision.


    ¡°We need to fall back!¡± she cried out. Sam¡¯s voice was strained to its utmost to try and be heard over the frantic sounds of battle. Even then, only those nearest to the Mage would be able to clearly hear her. But that¡¯s all she needed in order for the message to then quickly spread.


    ¡°Fall back?!¡± Alex quickly rushed toward her. ¡°We¡¯d just be exposing our backs and bringing danger closer to the weaker non-fighters! Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea to endanger them like that?!¡±


    The teen boy¡¯s face was twisted with confliction. Both his words and expression clearly showed how much he disagreed with the retreat. Yet even so, Sam still gave him a nod and affirmed her decision.


    ¡°Just trust me! Remember the plan we put in place last week?! Those should be setup and ready by now! So we¡¯ll fall back and rely on them to buy us some breathing room!¡± she assured him. Alex¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding at what she meant. And though he still seemed a bit hesitant, he turned to the others and repeated the order to fall back.


    ¡°Fall back! Fall back!¡± Alex barked as loudly as he could possibly muster. The order to retreat quickly began to spread like wildfire. Even those who didn¡¯t hear the initial calls would rapidly follow suit after seeing others retreating first.


    Yet the people of the encampment weren¡¯t soldiers that had organized plans and tactics drilled into their skulls. Not even two months ago, they were just normal folks that led regular and mundane lives. And it was even more recently that the majority of them had been pushed to become more self-reliant and gain Levels, instead of just relying on those who¡¯d already grown stronger.


    Which meant that their retreat was anything but tactical.


    Some people did maintain a defensive structure as they fell back. Where they could make a hastened but still fairly measured withdrawal. Others, however, fell into unorganized disarray. They immediately turned to fled, their focus tunnel visioned on the simple act of escaping danger. But with the area filled with undead and Abilities being flung around, there simply wasn¡¯t room for them to simply run straight backwards.


    These were the people to fall and just become lost in the mess. With the bodies of both undead and human corpses spread across the frontline, tripping hazards were everywhere. Or simply not being watching the skies and catching a Siren claw straight into their heads. Even those who tried to be more careful just got unlucky as they found themselves boxed in by undead.


    The higher-Level members tried to alleviate the preserver whenever and wherever they could. But there was only so much they could do while also falling back. And, all the while, their limited resources could only allow them to use their Abilities so many times in quick succession.


    Sam choked as she heard the final screams of those who fell in the mess of it all. Her already strained mind was only further tensed by a new regret that each scream brought. A person that could have been Leveled earlier or gained more experience fighting undead on their own. A life that might have potentially been saved if they hadn¡¯t made caution and safety an early doctrine.


    But this was no time to despair about what could have been done differently. For now, her focus had to be on saving those she still could. Which was exactly the ideal hope for where she was leading them after calling the retreat. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    The frontline fighters hurriedly approached the next line of defense. A hastily made barricade composed of stacks of wooden boxes, a couple of RVs, and anything else they were able to stack on.


    Yet the important thing wasn''t the crude barricade itself, but the objects lined a fair distance in front of it. They were placed in a series of semi-circles. Placed just far enough from one another to overlap their effects while also triggering just one at a time.


    Each one was also surrounded with miniature fencing that almost looked like the protective squares for a newly planted tree. But they were only there to serve as deterrents for humans to not accidentally step on what they surrounded. While the mindless undead, however, would just trample right over them.


    And that was exactly what Sam was counting on. The defenders quickly rushed through the gaps between the marked objects and reached the other side of the barricade. And not a moment too soon as the horde had been at their heels. So it was just a second later that the first of the undead stepped on the placed traps.


    An echoing boom echoed across the camp as an explosion shook the barricade. Dozens of undead were instantly destroyed by a Mana fueled blast. Then there was a heavy sloshing as the dry ground in places suddenly turned into quicksand-like pools of mud. In another spot, a sudden wave of heat washed over them as a cone of flames roared as it torched the army of monsters.


    ¡°Holy shit! We actually got those things in place without them exploding on the spot?!¡± Alex exclaimed. His face was a mix of both surprise and awe as he peeked through the barricade. While the defenders had their chance to take a breather, they also got to witness the latest innovations to aid them both now and for the Apocalypse as a whole.


    Humanity has always been a crafty Species. Especially so when it came to finding out how a possible invention could be applied to warfare. So while most of the survivors had spent nearly all their time within the camp, they didn¡¯t have much in the way of entertainment. Which led to some ingenious folks doing what humans did best. They¡¯d begun to put things together with the newly found resource of Mana in a bid to see what would happen.


    The first step had come from realizing that the Mage Ability, Minor Mana Weaving, was easily the most flexible Ability of the different Classes. It was from this that the true power of the Class showed itself. And what actually made it worth the detriment of halved growth per Level for their physical Stats.


    A Mage with sufficient thresholds of Will could do exactly as the name of the Ability implied. Allow them to weave their Mana and use it for more than just being a resource for their Abilities.


    It hadn¡¯t done much at first. But as some scavenger Mages had gone out and gained Levels, a few had chosen to focus more into Will than Spell Power. It was from them that the way was steadily paved to realize the capabilities of this Ability. Of how they could use it to add Mana into mundane objects and alter their properties.


    That was how they accidentally discovered the substance that would become their healing gel. But if something could have restorative properties as just a side effect, then what else could create? Even if it was just a side effect of the material¡¯s interaction with Mana, what other results could they potentially produce instead? Such as something that could be more¡­ explosive.


    The resulting magic explosives were a recent invention and still very experimental. They could only be considered as volatile prototypes that weren¡¯t even safe yet to be moved across large distances. Just a little too much shaking or sudden force was all it took to set any of them. However, at the moment, acting as easily triggered traps was a purpose they perfectly served.


    One was basically just a pure blast of concentrated Mana released all at once. The second had the magical effect of very rapidly creating water and thus adding excessive moisture. While the third was just a cone of Mana-based flames. They were all pretty inefficient in terms of the large amounts of Mana actually required to make each unit. But they certainly made up for that with practicality in a pinch.


    They felt a surge of hope of seeing many undead starting to fall in the face of the traps. Yet just as quickly as their relief came, it was suddenly snatched away from them.


    From seemingly out of nowhere, a large fireball hurled down into the line of traps like a comet crashing down. An explosion of flames shot out a wave of force parallel along the traps. Those closest to the fireball were simply fuel that added to the flames as it suddenly emanated a secondary blast.


    The rest were caught in the boom and due to their sensitivity, were prematurely triggered. Only most of the first line of the traps had actually been used against the undead. But now, practically all the rest were already gone before they could fulfill their intended purpose.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Alex yelled. The faces of those him, Sam, and all those present twisted with agonized despair.


    Just like that, their line of traps was ruined by one fireball. Just like that, the tide had immediately switched back to being fully against them with a vengeance. Just like that, their hope of thinning out the horde of undead while getting to rest had been squashed.


    But where could it have come from? And who or what could have made it to sabotage their defenses?


    Sam¡¯s gaze frantically looked across the area. Her eyes traced a line from the direction the fireball had seemingly come from. And the young woman¡¯s jaw clenched with confusion at what it eventually led to.


    It was some ways away from the raging and now burning battlefield that used to be their encampment. But in the distance, there was a line of trees where the area met with some woodland. And squinting through the smoke, Sam spotted something at the top of the trees. There were what appeared to be three humanoid figures standing near one another.


    ¡°People? But who-¡± Sam wondered as she quickly used the System to identify them. But the moment she saw the first golden scream, her voice became caught mid-sentence.  The Mage¡¯s eyes widened with fear at the sudden realization.


    She didn¡¯t actually recognize the three figures watching from afar. But the Levels shown were more than enough for confirmation of their identity. There was only one explanation that actually made sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the Chosen Few¡­¡±


    ¡ª--


    Steven, Dick, and Mark had been watching the chaos unfold with some amusement. However, they hadn¡¯t expected the traps or the punch they packed. But it was a good thing they were present to act as the thumbs on the scale.


    As ordered by their leader, the trio of Chosen would keep an eye on the undead advance and give them a helping hand as needed. Such as the use of the fireball artifact to disable the traps and completely crush the surge of resistance.


    ¡°I still wish we could actually join in. It¡¯s just a shame to let all that potential Experience go to waste. Especially while some of us haven¡¯t reached our Class Evolution yet,¡± Mark sourly remarked.


    Steven just shrugged. ¡°You wanna go against the boss¡¯s direct orders, be my guest. As of right now, we still have a job to do. I¡¯m not moving from this spot until we get the signal to move on to the next phase of the plan. So until then, just shut up and stop complaining.¡±


    Mark slumped, but didn¡¯t say anything further in return. Dick stared out at the camp as he held his artifact at the ready for potentially another fireball as soon as it recharged.


    ¡°The boss should be near the front by now. Although I¡¯m pretty sure he probably has an artifact that hides him from the undead. And those damned annoying twins should be in place too off to the left, and everyone else at the right. So as soon as everything¡¯s ready, we¡¯ll be coming from behind to target their strongest members from all directions in one fell swoop. That¡¯s when you¡¯ll get a chance to get some Experience.¡±


    They all knew what they were here to do, which was to ensure the execution of their leader¡¯s plan. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a one-sided slaughter unless it was actually one-sided, after all.

 Chapter 48:

    Alex gaped with frustration at surprise at the sight of the incoming horde. Thick columns of smoke climbed into the air from everything that¡¯d been lit aflame from the massive blast of the sudden fireball.


    While a part of the undead horde had also been caught in the explosion, it was only a tiny chunk of the overall whole. And not definitely only a fraction of what the traps could have killed if they hadn¡¯t been prematurely detonated and destroyed. And the undead the blast did kill were only the weaker Skeletons, and not any that were of the higher Level kind.


    Even worse was the apparent source of the fireball. Standing next to Sam, he¡¯d manage to overhear her words even through all the noise around them. Alex followed her line of sight and spotted the three figures standing at the top of the trees some distance away. They were far enough that he had to squint just to make them out through all the smoke and stuff in the air.


    The teen¡¯s lips pressed together into a thin line. He¡¯d only ever heard about the Chosen Few until now. So this was the first time he would lay eyes on any of them. There appeared to only be three of them that he could see. Yet with how powerful each of them were, three would be more than enough to turn a tough victory against the horde into a completely impossible one.


    But why had the Chosen not moved in on them yet? With the undead army at their front and their recent retreat, they should have already had the chance to move in. So far they¡¯d mostly just been watching for who knew how long. And in that time, had only just now acted once through the destruction of their traps.


    Yet that fact gave Alex an idea. Perhaps that singular act of interference so far was the most important clue for deciphering their intended actions. While the Chosen Few did have stronger people in terms of individual Levels, they did have a higher number of people. Both in terms of their average Level as a whole and their own fair number of elites.


    They must have some kind of strategy in mind. I doubt they just happened to show up right as this horde did. That¡¯d be way too big of a coincidence to be believable. So they either saw the horde¡¯s movement and made a plan around it, or somehow managed to gather the undead and lead them directly toward us, he thought to himself.


    Alex figured that the army itself was likely just a means to an end. Because while fighting it off would have been difficult, they could so eventually by continuously outmaneuvering the mindless monsters. But if someone wanted to act during the hectic fighting, it¡¯d be all too easy for them to do so unnoticed. While it almost sounded crazy to think how many higher Level undead there were, the horde almost felt like it was just a distraction.


    He turned to Sam. ¡°The Chosen Few are probably here to deal with our strongest members! We still don¡¯t know where Noah or some of the other scavengers currently are in this mess! This entire thing is basically just one chaotic form of divide and conquer! What should we do?!¡±


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything we CAN do! We can¡¯t spare people from here to find our strongest with the Ghouls still incoming! And even if we did, it¡¯d just compromise the fighting strength of all those ongoing battles! God damn it¡± Sam loudly cursed.


    Her expression was a mixture of different emotions. Her face was red with anger and irritation, but Alex noticed something else too. There was a despair in her eyes that could be described as that of betrayal. Yet as Alex was still staring at her, she lobbied another magic attack over the barricade. After which, she looked back at him.


    ¡°Alex! We can¡¯t go on like this without the traps! We need to get ready to fall further back! The barricade should hold just long enough for us to regroup and then reorganize with the other defenders!¡± Sam said.


    However, the teen¡¯s brows furrowed at that plan. Where exactly were they supposed to fall back to? They¡¯d already given up on the front entrance and had moved further into the camp. Yet beyond this point would be even further in and would allow the undead more free reign. The tents that most people lived in weren''t that much farther behind them. They couldn¡¯t fall back. At least not yet.


    ¡°But what about the people who can¡¯t fight and still need more time to evacuate?! I think we need to hold the line! Both to tell those in the bunker to use the escape tunnel and for the rest of the non-fighters to escape! Just until they can safely get out of danger¡¯s reach!¡±


    As they spoke, the undead swarm wasn¡¯t polite enough to simply hold back and nicely wait around. Having already filled in the gap left by the traps and explosion, the frontmost wave advanced on the barricade. Orders and swearing were yelled out in all directions as the camp members tried to mount an effective defense.


    Warriors put themselves directly behind the barricade itself. Wherever there was any space for their blades, they stabbed through to attack the nearest enemy. The ranged fighters used as many Abilities or arrows as their resources allowed from what they¡¯d already managed to recuperate.


    Both healing and Mana gel was constantly being given to whoever needed it most. But what limited supplies they had were rapidly used up. In front of the barricade, a secondary wall was being formed out of the steadily piling bodies of dead monsters. Yet just as it felt like they were starting to slow the horde down, the hard limit of their on-hand supplies reared its ugly head.


    The undead horde was simply never ending. But as they ran out of the necessary gels needed to replenish the use of their Abilities, the defenders found their attack power quickly crippled. There were just too many monsters to fend off. And without the consistent use of Abilities, they were now coming down at a rate far greater than they were being slain.


    ¡°Shit! Retreat! They can¡¯t be held back any longer! Everyone retreat now!¡± Sam cried. There was a loud cracking of wood as the undead started to break through the barricade.  If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Alex cursed under his breath before repeating the call for another retreat. He could only pray that the precious little time they¡¯d bought would be enough. That the young children and others who couldn¡¯t fight had already been able to get far, far away from there.


    If it¡¯d just been the horde, this would have been the point where the rest of them could simply scatter and wait for the army to pass through. But with the Chosen Few around, there was no way they¡¯d be able to get away with that idea.


    Speaking of which, Alex looked over to where the three figures had been standing. Yet when his gaze fell on where they should have been, he only saw bare treetops. Alex blinked with surprise at the realization that they were gone. He quickly glanced around that area, just in case his memory of their location had been off. But just a second later, he realized that they had actually moved from their prior position.


    ¡°Oh fuck! Sam, it¡¯s the Chosen! They¡¯re- RUN!¡± Alex screamed as a fireball hurled straight for the retreating group. The Warrior immediately jumped to the side after yelling out the last minute warning.


    Those who were quick on the uptake or had sufficient Agility also quickly managed to get out of the way. However, anyone who was injured or simply didn¡¯t realize the actual danger in time wasn''t so lucky.


    Their cries of pain were cut-off as quickly as they came as they were engulfed in the blast of flame. Just like that, nine people were immediately killed by the fiery explosion. A few more screamed as they dropped to the ground, writing as their entire body was covered in fire. But all stopping in place did was open themselves to the horde as undead mindlessly piled onto the burning people.


    Arrows then flew through the air and rained down upon them. The retreating defenders tried to get out of the way of those next. But after suddenly having to dodge the fireball, many weren¡¯t ready to deal with the arrow fire that¡¯d come just a second later.


    ¡°Sam! What do we- Sam?!¡± Alex frantically asked. But when he looked around, he found that the Mage was no longer amongst their group. Yet before he could even ask himself where she¡¯d gone, he heard a fresh set of high-pitched screams coming from his own team.


    ¡°NO!¡±


    From out of nowhere, a cloaked man with a pair of daggers had found himself within their very midst. One teenage Martial Artist tried to strike at his back, but only hit empty space as he blinked right before her. Then the next moment, a blade cut open her throat and dropped her dead on the spot.


    Before he¡¯d even seen what was happening, three members of Alex¡¯s own team had just been killed one after another. The people he¡¯d called both comrades and new friends were dying left and right. All right under his watch.


    But right before he could charge at the rogue in a rage, every cell within his body screamed of imminent death. In the corner of his vision, he saw a Warrior like himself standing off amongst the undead. But the man ignored the monsters as his raised sword slashed down while pointed in his direction.


    Alex raised his shield in an attempt to use Minor Block. But as the Slash struck, the defensive Ability was easily made mute. The Chosen¡¯s attack cut straight through his shield, then his chainmail, and sliced through the top of his collarbone.


    The teen fell back to the ground, clutching at his heavily bleeding wound. The two halves of his now ruined shield uselessly thumped against the dirt. He grunted with pain, gritting his teeth. The orange-red sky above him was already spinning, but Alex refused to let things end there.


    He had to get back up! He had to grab his sword and fight to his last breath! He had to at least buy time for as many people to get away! He had to!


    The man who¡¯d attack him sharply whistled. The Chosen rested his blade over his shoulder as he strolled forward.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re barely more than a kid, ain¡¯t ya? You¡¯ve reached a pretty damn good Level for someone so young. Level 26 after what, just a couple weeks of really trying? You might have even reached your Class Evolution after not much longer. Sorry kid, but you just have the bad luck of getting that potential cut short,¡± he said before looking off to the side.


    ¡°Hey Mark! This one¡¯s worth a good bit of Experience. Hurry up and come over to put him down or I¡¯ll just take it for myself!¡±


    Alex took a shaky, heavy breath. His armored palm felt warm as it was being covered by his flowing blood. The arm connected to the sliced collarbone had already gone completely numb. But that was just his shield arm. As long as the hand holding his sword still worked, he could still fight.


    Yet just before he could gather the will to push himself for one last surge of strength, something happened. A bellowing roar echoed across the besieged camp. A split-second later, what followed it was the sound of what had to be the bones of dozens upon dozens of Skeletons shattering all at once.


    ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡± Dick yelled out. Both Chosen and regular survivors alike looked around with a mix of both fear and confusion.


    But all of them quickly found the answer as a being the size of a small house charged through the horde. Forcing its way to where the teens and Chosen Few were, it forcefully tore its way through the undead. Both regular Skeletons and the stronger monsters alike were easily shredded apart in its furious wake.


    Alex blinked away the blurriness in his vision as he pushed himself off the ground. Standing, he got up just in time to see the huge thing charging straight toward him. It was a giant brown bear, and on its back was a redheaded woman.


    It quickly tore through the last of the undead standing it in its way and came to a stop directly between the beaten teens and the Chosen trio. The woman then quickly hopped off the bear and drew her blade. Alex stared dumbfounded for a moment at the sudden arrival of what were apparently reinforcements from how they acted.


    Just who was this lady? And that bear she came riding on seemed way too big to just be any regular bear. Was it some kind of magical beast or something? Upon seeing the sudden newcomers to the battlefield, his next reflex was to find out their info.


    Warrior (Human)


    Evolved (Flashblade Blitzer)


    Level: 30


    Alex was surprised by the high Level of the woman. She was easily just as strong as the three Chosen. But then when he next looked at that of the large bear, his surprise immediately turned into complete and utter shock.


    Druid (Hell-Touched Human)


    Evolved (True Shifter)


    Level: 40


    He practically had to do a double take at what he saw. His attention immediately went to the Level at the bottom.


    40!? That was easily way higher than even the Levels of the Chosen Few, who were supposed to be the most dangerous people around! But then he saw the Class listed. There was only one Druid he knew of, but could it really be him?


    At the same time, the bear had started to shrink down. Within just a few seconds, it¡¯d taken on the form of a man. One that then turned to look back at the injured teen.


    As Alex glanced away from the golden screen, his eyes widened with recognition. And though he was somewhat woozy from pain and blood loss, the teen¡¯s lips tugged upward to form a grin.


    ¡°Jaco! You¡¯re actually here!¡±

 Chapter 49:

    Sam was muttering a stream of swears as she tried to navigate her way through the mess. She¡¯d managed to make a retreat with some people and gotten them farther back to relative safety. But halfway through, she noticed that at some point she¡¯d lost track of Alex¡¯s whereabouts.


    It was also at the same time that Sam realized the three Chosen Few had disappeared from their spot amongst the treeline. Then another fireball blasted through the air and landed with a fiery explosion.


    ¡°Oh, son of a bitch!¡± Sam loudly cursed. It¡¯d been closer to the barricade and avoided the bulk of the retreating defenders. But that fact alone had given her a bad feeling for why it hadn¡¯t been aimed to hit the most people.


    Sam was close to being practically tapped for her Mana supply. But while each Point in Will only brought a small increase to its regeneration rate, her Will being on the higher end had added up. That alongside the Minor Restoration Ability¡¯s effect was basically doing work to keep her Mana right above being fully empty. So as long as she got at least a little bit of breathing room between spell casts, she could keep coming back into the fight with another attack.


    That was why Sam chose to turn around and head back. Even if she was closer to relative safety, she just couldn¡¯t leave Alex and his team behind like that. Not as long as she could still use even one Ability to help them.


    But then as an air-shattering roar bellowed through camp, Sam¡¯s heart sped up with fear. Was that some kind of new monster? Or was it even the Minotaur, the powerful Demidemon she¡¯s only heard of until now?


    With a wave of her wand, Sam shot out a shower of magical bolts. They decimated a group of Skeletons that were in her way. Yet after she cleared a path, the Mage froze at what she saw.


    Several members of Alex¡¯s team were lying around, already dead. Alex was on the ground, bleeding. Not far from him were two of the Chosen Few, with the third not anywhere she could see. Yet standing in the middle of it all was another pair, a man and woman. And one of them was someone she instantly recognized.


    ¡°Jaco¡­¡±  Sam whispered under her breath. How was he even here? Shouldn¡¯t Jaco still be somewhere in the city on a quest to gain strength? Had he somehow realized what was happening in order to come to their aid.


    She almost couldn¡¯t even believe what she was seeing. But Sam knew that it wasn¡¯t just a trick of the heavy smoke or anything like that. No, there was only one person she knew that went around in wooden armor, even if there was a cloak draped over it now.


    It had to be him. And after a golden screen then appeared in front of her, Sam realized one more thing. It was shocking, but also lit a spark of hope. That despite how dour things were, things might still work out in the end.


    Because even after all this time and things that''s changed, Jaco still had the highest Level of anyone she¡¯s known.


    ¡ª--


    Steven''s grip was tight around his twin dagger. The blood of the last teen he¡¯d kill was staining his shoes, but he hardly cared for that at the moment. He was still reeling as the impossible had played out right before his eyes.


    Standing in front of him was a man he recognized. The Druid that had narrowly escaped them by the slimmest of margins. And then despite their best attempts to hunt their escaped prey down, had seemingly just disappeared into thin air.


    Accompanying the Druid had been a woman. She¡¯d been wearing a hood over her that obscured most of their face. The only notable features were the locks of red hair that had spilled out the hood and the chainmail armor that covered the rest of her body. The woman had then almost immediately left her companion¡¯s side to grab one of the still living teens, before disappearing into the chaos.


    But Steven hadn¡¯t cared for her beyond just a short glance. He had not even bothered to check her Level. Not when his mind was still trying to process the fact that the Druid was Level 40. They¡¯d been close to each other in Level during their last encounter. In the time since, they had worked hard to kill and grow in power.


    Of their trio, Dick was now the strongest at Level 32. Steven himself had only just reached 30 and  had fallen a bit behind as a result. While Mark was only at 29, that still meant that he was at the cusp of his own Class Evolution. Yet the Druid made all their efforts feel like it was almost just a complete waste of time. He''d somehow sped past the three of them and left them far behind.


    Steven dismissed the golden screen. He glanced at where Mark was, and saw how he was still making their way through the undead. Those mindless things didn¡¯t care if the ones they attacked were leagues stronger and just attacked anyway.


    While the weaker ones were easy to kill, it still made for annoying hassle. But it meant that he hadn¡¯t quite caught up on what was happening. As far as Mark still knew, a large bear had just charged through but hadn¡¯t seen the transformation after that.


    Dick, meanwhile, was still staring with his mouth wide open. He was likely too shocked to react even if a fly flew in at that moment. Idiots, both of them.


    Steven gritted his teeth as he got over his own surprise and feelings of inadequacy. Someone among the three of them had to be first to regain a sense of control. And it looked like that it would have to be him.


    ¡°Well boys, look who we have here! Quite the timing for a familiar Druid to show up now of all times, eh?! But it just means that he¡¯s here to get in the way of our plan again! Isn¡¯t that right, Mark?! Dick?! ¡± he yelled out.


    His stressing of ¡°plan¡± quickly seemed to snap them to attention. The two other Chosen cursed as they took their positions. The arrival of a previous opponent was an unexpected anomaly. But it didn¡¯t change that their boss was still relatively close by. It¡¯d be on their asses if they tried to avoid the Level 40 person here to run amok and potentially ruin their leader¡¯s plan.


    But in addition to that, their eyes glimmered with something even stronger than apprehension. Greed. If they could take him down now once and for all, just how much Experience could they reap?


    The danger was high, but it made the reward all the sweeter. Plus even with the Level gap, they were a well oiled machine when it came to fighting as a trio. And with two of them having attained their Class Evolutions, the chance of their victory was still a very real one.


    ¡°So Mr. Druid, I can¡¯t help but wonder something! Just how did you Level Up so much since we last saw you?! A man can only guess what kind of killing spree that must have taken! Or did you figure out something that we¡¯re all missing!?¡± Steven continued. If he could just get the other man talking while his companions had time to get into their positions, that would be optimal.


    ¡°It¡¯s already rare to ever find any monsters that are even Level 30! But he might have found a ton in some hidden area of the inner city! Maybe some underground offshoot of that fortress!?¡± Dick loudly added as he started moving to get just outside Jaco¡¯s field of vision. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Mark ducked behind some wreckage for cover. ¡°I¡¯m betting that he went even further than that! Maybe he even risked getting right up to that fortress and found some higher Level monster that only stays in there! Do I have the right idea, Druid?!¡±


    But Jaco didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood for enlightening them. Instead he glanced around at the corpses of those who¡¯d fallen from the assault. And when his gaze returned to the Chosen, his expression was filled with pure disdain.


    ¡°All I¡¯ll say is this. This time, you¡¯ll be the ones that try to run,¡± Jaco said. He hadn¡¯t bothered to raise his voice to be above the ambient noise of the chaos around them. So it was only by straining their ears that the three Chosen Few had barely been able to hear him at all.


    Then as if a starting gun had silently fired, the Druid rushed at them. While mid-motion, his body rapidly grew in size as he turned back into the bear form he¡¯d arrived with. But then there was a new addition, as a shell that seemed like some kind of turtle¡¯s appeared on his back.


    Steven blinked with surprise as he rushed at them with unexpected speed for his size. It was way faster than what he showed just earlier while running through the undead. The Phantom Rogue was quick to react, however, as he threw one of his blades off to the side. Then just a split-second later, he teleported over to a position that put him away from the charging Druid¡¯s path.


    Unfortunately, his companions hadn¡¯t been quite as quick on the uptake. Dick had been raising his artifact in the hopes of getting in a surprise fireball. But now he was forced to quickly put the wand away and instead ready his blade to meet the incoming attack.


    Dick raises his sword to block as a set of long claws swung right for him. Yet the wide difference in Strength was immediately put on full display. Despite managing to barely maintain the block itself, Dick¡¯s legs buckled from the sheer force behind the attack. Yet while it took his entire body just to stay upright, Jaco still had a free arm.


    Before the Chosen could react, the giant bear smacked him with a swipe of his other paw. Dick was sent flying through the air, before crashing straight into the side of a flipped RV. Gripping at his side while groaning, he was clearly hurt. But the damage couldn¡¯t have been too bad as he had already started to slowly get back up to his feet.


    At the same time, Steven tried to make use of the opportunity to get a strike in. While his opponent''s attention elsewhere, the time had come to unleash his most powerful Ability. From the shadows around him, four dark copies of himself sprang out.


    As a Phantom Rogue, his Abilities had already revolved around the use of shadows. He could use them to hop from shadow to shadow, temporarily shift a part of his body into a shadow state, and more. So out of his options when selecting a Class Evolution, he¡¯d picked a path that further utilized the blur between real and shadow magic. It was from that he gained a new Ability, Ethereal Manifestation.


    With it, he could effectively create dark clones of himself. And while they might appear to just be illusions, they were as real as real could be. While this Ability tore through his Mana like nothing else, it was more than worth it. Their strength and numbers was dependent on how much he spent. So for this battle, Steven spared no expense as he went all out on maximizing the power of all four.


    The squad of clones rushed at the bear. But even though its back was turned, it noticed their approach and spun around to meet them. And while they charged, Mark fired arrow after arrow from the sideline. Some only glanced off its shell or barely seemed to even get past the fur. Yet once found its mark in the large bear¡¯s snout.


    Even then it didn¡¯t penetrate very deeply, but it still managed to draw blood. The transformed Druid snarled as he glanced between the clones and the direction of the arrows¡¯ shooter. But then there was a glint in his eyes. Something that sent a shiver up Steven¡¯s spine from a sudden sense of foreboding.


    The bear then quickly shrunk back down into that of a man. Though it wasn¡¯t a fully regular form, as there was still the shell on his back. Staff in hand, Jaco moved forward to meet the shadow clones as they rushed at him with their daggers. And now fully recovered from being knocked aside, Dick also charged in with his sword raised.


    The Phantom Rogue watched with a calculating expression. Just keeping the clones up and manually controlling them took most of his focus, so he didn¡¯t dare risk breaking concentration by also jumping in. Yet he couldn¡¯t help but wonder something to himself.


    Their opponent had clearly been empowered by his bear form and had the physical advantage. So why did he give it up? Did that transformation simply consume too much Mana to be sustainable, perhaps? That was a plausible explanation. Yet something felt off. There was still that bad feeling in his gut that he just couldn¡¯t quite shake off.


    Yet even in his human body, the difference in their Levels still made itself clear. Even while ganged up by Dick and Steven¡¯s clones, Jaco was still holding his own without any obvious trouble.


    Steven observed the melee as Jaco used his staff to block almost every attack that came his way. For the minority that he didn¡¯t block, he allowed to simply hit him instead. But why was the Druid suddenly so focused on defense? And through purely blocking rather than dodge or even actively make use of that strong shell on his back?


    It just wasn¡¯t making any sense. More than just a bad feeling, Steven¡¯s mind was now completely suspicious about the current turn of events. There was definitely something wrong here.


    As the five versus one melee continued, Mark was still trying to support them with arrow fire. But with half a dozen figures moving around at once, his arrows were fewer and farther between. He likely just had to be more careful about his shots now that there was a higher risk of friendly fire.


    Steven slightly tilted his head as he grimaced. At that moment, a low-frequency hum was hitting his ears. The Chosen glanced around, but couldn¡¯t spot any obvious source for it. Yet as the seconds passed, the noise only grew in strength.


    However, before he could think about it any further, there was a sudden shift in the balance of the melee. After blocking another attempted strike from Dick, Jaco swept the Warrior¡¯s legs out from under him with a kick. He then rapidly leapt away from the attacking clones and began to charge toward the side.


    Jaco put behind the others and ducked to dodge an arrow. Steven quickly figured out exactly who he was going for. In the direction he was running, Mark loudly swore as he tried to shoot as many arrows as he could. The Scout moved backward as he fired.


    But even with the constant firing of arrows, the Druid still managed to swiftly begin closing the distance between them. As he ran, Jaco raised his staff. Steven¡¯s eyes then widened from a sudden realization.


    How did he not notice it before? That staff in the Druid¡¯s hands was most definitely not the same one from before. He quickly tried to identify it to confirm his assumption.


    Hell Staff (Infernal, Artifact)


    Shit! That thing really is an artifact! Never seen one with an Infernal tag before, but that can¡¯t mean anything good for whatever effect it has, Steven inwardly cursed. If he was a gambling man, he¡¯d also bet that it was the source of the humming that¡¯d come only after the staff was used for blocking many strikes in a row.


    ¡°Mark! Watch-¡± he tried to warn his companion, but it was already too late. Jaco had already reached Mark. And as an unevolved Scout, he simply lacked the extra power necessary to mount any sort of counter or defense.


    Jaco¡¯s staff flashed with a glint of light. Mark tried to block it with his bow in a last ditch effort. But that negligible defense was easily avoided as the staff swung under it and into his side at an upwards angle. Upon impact, a sonic boom that could be heard across the entire camp shook the air. Accompanying it was a spray made from a fine mix of blood, bones, and organs.


    Steven blinked as a small object flew toward him. His hand flickered forward in a reflexive motion to catch whatever it was. When he looked down and opened his palm, Steven¡¯s stomach lurched with horror. It was a singular tooth.


    At the same time, there was a light thud as Mark¡¯s body hit the ground. Or at least, what remained of him. All that was left was a pair of legs attached to part of the waist. While everything above where the staff hit was simply gone.


    Steven dropped the tooth. The Chosen stumbled backwards by a few steps, his legs shaking. A primal terror grasped his heart as his eyes met those of the Druid¡¯s. Of the man he had once almost killed and sent running for his life. There was a cold light in that gaze as he stepped over the half-gone corpse by his feet.


    We- we can¡¯t fight that fucking monster! There¡¯s just no way! Steven¡¯s instincts screamed at him that there was only thing he could do to survive this day. He had to escape and run as fast and far as he possibly could.

 Chapter 50:

    Jaco only spared a momentary glance to what was left of the Chosen¡¯s body as it fell against the ground. His intention for going after him first had been rather simple. While the least dangerous according to Level, getting constantly shot at by the Scout¡¯s arrows had made him the greatest annoyance.


    Additionally, he¡¯d felt rather surprised by just how much the gap had grown between him and these three members of the Chosen Few. Jaco knew that actually defeating the Minotaur was likely the greatest single achievement done by anyone in the area so far.


    But now that difference was on full display for him being Level 40 compared to the highest Level Chosen at only 32. And that was also before considering the bonus Stats from his Secondary Class, that would have only further widened that large difference.


    It was to the point where he honestly didn¡¯t really see them as a threat anymore. Which was in stark contrast to their last encounter, where he¡¯d barely managed to escape after being overwhelmed. Jaco wasn¡¯t quite sure how he felt about reducing them from looming shadows in the back of his mind to being almost negligible enemies instead. So much so, that he even decided to use one of them to test just how powerful his Hell Staff actually was.


    Jaco stepped over the corpse, now barely more than just a pair of legs. His gaze bore into that one of the other Chosen, the Phantom Rogue. What was his name again? Steve, or was it Steven? Although, an even better question was if knowing his name even mattered anyway. He¡¯d be dead, soon enough.


    Even when Jaco saw the genuine terror in the other man¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t feel the slightest hint of hesitation. He recalled the burning buildings of where he¡¯d first fought them. The strewn about corpses of slaughtered adults and children alike. How many people did they terrorize before killing? How many lives did they end without even an ounce of mercy? How much begging and pleading did they allow to fall on deaf ears?


    On the day he ran, the Chosen Few had stabbed fear into his heart. Him and all the others who met them but had failed to escape like him. But now it would be their turn to feel that same kind of fear and despair while in front of an unmerciful foe. Jaco tightly gripped his staff as he walked toward the remaining two Chosen.


    ¡°You wanna know something?¡± he started as he took a heavy step forward. His teeth were bared as the Druid stared the Chosen down.


    ¡°Every single one of your victims felt what you¡¯re feeling right now! Do you even realize that, huh?¡± Jaco asked. Though even as the words left his mouth, he doubted that these monsters were capable of thinking beyond themselves.


    ¡°Or are you still too caught up in your psychotic power fantasies? Well nobody gives a shit if you don¡¯t like being on the receiving end now!¡± He thought of every victim of the Chosen. Of all those that he¡¯d seen, and the unknown many more that he hadn¡¯t.


    And finally, of the people here in this camp. Of the faces he¡¯d seen while walking around and spoken with over meals, that he¡¯d now only see one last time as they¡¯re being buried.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s time to fucking wake up and realize you¡¯re just as killable as anyone else!¡± Jaco yelled as his body tensed with pent-up rage.


    Steven stumbled back by several steps. He was quickly glancing around, his mouth dumbly opening and closing. Yet as one Chosen moved backwards with flight, the other stepped forward to still try and fight.


    ¡°Mark¡¯s Class wasn''t even evolved yet! You think just killing him is enough to scare me, motherfucker! Let me show you what an artifact''s real power can look like and see if you can still talk big!¡± Dick yelled. He raised his obsidian wand and pointed it at the Druid. Jaco just stared back at him to see exactly what kind of trick he thought could actually act as an ace.


    Warrior (Human)


    Evolved (Strife¡¯s Catalyst)


    Level: 32


    Jaco watched as Dick showed just what kind of Ability he gained from his Class Evolution. A red aura formed around him. The energy within it felt like devastation incarnate. It felt like he was staring directly into the barrel of a tank, where a destructive blast could be unleashed at any second.


    Strife¡¯s Catalyst, huh? Looks to be some kind of empowerment Ability. If I had to guess from just the feel of that aura, it¡¯s not the main source of danger, but what it goes into. Now will he start with a fireball from his artifact and then try to use a supercharged Slash as a big finisher? Jaco wondered.


    Once the power of the aura reached its apex, it began to move. Rather than remaining spread out around the Warrior¡¯s body, it quickly gathered the collective energy into just one spot. It was all focused into just the point of the obsidian wand.


    Jaco¡¯s eyes widened as he quickly realized that he¡¯d been off with his initial assumption. He didn¡¯t know exactly how the Ability worked. But it was now very obvious that it wasn¡¯t just limited to Dick himself, but could affect artifacts as well. And the moment that realization came, a fireball unlike any before was released.


    The fiery projectile was huge, easily as big as a large house. Rather than being red like the flames of previous fireballs, it was hot enough to be a bright yellow instead. All stray pieces of wood, blades of grass, or really anything flammable within its immediate vicinity were all set alight.


    Dick grinned with triumph as the sheer force of the blast also threw him backwards. The Chosen almost definitely believed that if the ultimate attack landed, then not even someone with 40 Levels worth of toughness could simply shrug it off. And he might have been right. Even if Jaco were to stack every defensive Ability of his, he would still likely be seriously injured at the very least.


    An attack of this caliber was certainly the kind of thing that would let you use everything you have to punch above your weight class. After all, everyone with artifacts and a Class Evolution were all bound to have aces that would allow them to threaten beings above themselves in Level. But there was just one issue. The Chosen had massively screwed up in terms of having the worst possible target for this ultimate attack.


    They still weren¡¯t aware of the full extent of Jaco¡¯s Abilities. When it came to Elemental Offense, the Chosen Few had only experienced his control over earth during their last bout. Between the increase to his Stats and the Ability itself being upgraded from Minor to Lesser, Jaco felt ready to put confidence in how far he¡¯d come.


    Jaco widened his legs as he prepared his stance. He had to squint through the blinding light that came off the giant fireball. But even then, it was just too much light for him to see anything. Yet even though his vision was compromised, he could still rely on his sense of awareness over the elements and gut instincts. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A couple seconds passed as the blast roared toward him. But as sweat was already forming on his skin from the extreme heat, he held his ground. And the moment that the fire crossed the threshold for his Ability¡¯s range, he immediately acted.


    Jaco split all his focus between two parts of Lesser Elemental Offense. On one side, he poured his willpower into the incoming flames in an attempt to wrest control of them. Then on the other, he rapidly spun his staff to start creating a torrent of wind. The Druid understood that fire could be only more dangerous when exposed to a sudden rush of air.


    But while the reaction might happen too quickly to normally be understood, he could sense how the air and fire interacted. He could feel every shift in the flow of air and change to the heat itself. Just one misstep would be all it took to only hasten his demise. But after having stared death in the eye time and time again, Jaco was used to acting correctly while under immense pressure.


    He felt his Mana drain away as manipulation of this level demanded both raw power and delicate control. But that was fine by him.


    One moment, the giant fireball was screaming through the air and rushing straight for him. Yet just a couple seconds later, there was a deafening swoosh as the flames brightened even further. At the same time, the fireball suddenly shot backward as if it was a tennis ball that had just bounced off a wall.


    The Druid had no idea how Dick reacted to the turnaround. The light was still just as blinding, and the roaring flames easily drowned at any other noise. And with him being on the opposite side of the huge projectile, there was no way he¡¯d have seen his face anyway.


    EXP Earned!


    But that notification was already all the confirmation he really needed.


    Jaco stomped down to raise an earthen wall in front of himself. Which he did not a moment too soon, as the fireball then exploded upon impact with whatever was the first thing it hit. The ambient temperature sored even higher as the full rage of the flames exploded out in all directions.


    The roar and heat was the most powerful he¡¯d felt, at least ever since the initial blast of the Apocalypse. Even with Endurance, Primal Ferocity, and both his beast Abilities, he was glad to not have tested them against a direct hit. But the explosion was short-lived. For as soon as it washed around his wall, it was already over. Yet even so, it had left its mark on the camp.


    Having tanked the full brunt of the explosive force, the earthen wall was already crumbling before him. On the other side, he saw a crater several dozen feet across and about half a foot deep. Practically everything around it that could burn and hadn¡¯t been flat-out destroyed was currently on fire.


    This also applied to the undead horde, as the air was filled with the smell of Skeletons being burned. And with how tightly packed together the horde was, the flames had no trouble in quickly spreading across the army of monsters.


    Jaco observed the smear of ashes that used to be the Chosen Warrior. At least he assumed that it was his ashes he was looking at and not something else¡¯s. After being caught in the center of that explosion, not even his equipment had survived. But now all it¡¯d take was one strong gust of wind, and all evidence of the man¡¯s very existence would forever be gone.


    He recalled the burnt-up corpses he¡¯d found at the site of the Chosen Few¡¯s attack. Of the charred body that had failed to protect the baby between its arms. They¡¯d been killed by Dick¡¯s artifact, and now he had perished to those same flames. So in his mind, this justice was dealt in honor of those victims in particular.


    Looking over to the side, Jaco frowned with a bit of disappointment as he saw the last Chosen remaining. His hope had been that the explosion would have also consumed him and made it a two for one deal.


    But as he saw the man still on his face, it seemed that wouldn¡¯t quite be the case. The Phantom Rogue must have reacted quickly, as he had managed to put a fair amount of distance between them.


    However, even then, it was evident that he hadn¡¯t managed to escape completely unscathed. The left side of his cloak was ruined, exposing heavily burnt skin underneath. Yet even from a distance, he was visibly trembling as he stared back at Jaco with an expression grimacing with pain.


    ¡°You might want to try running.¡±


    With all the undead in the immediate area now incinerated, Jaco didn¡¯t even feel the need to raise his voice. And it was clear that the Chosen had indeed managed to hear, as he immediately turned and broke into a desperate sprint.


    ¡ª--


    Steven¡¯s body screamed with agony as he ran as fast as he could. It felt like every movement of air only further exacerbated his fresh burns. But he didn¡¯t care. Better to feel pain than to be dead like Mark and Dick.


    He didn¡¯t give a shit about any of it anymore. Not the Chosen Few, not this city, none of it. Steven didn¡¯t even care about what would happen afterward with their leader. Because as far as that asshole would ever know, he¡¯d gotten reduced to ashes alongside Dick. And if he did somehow ever learn that he was alive and had run away, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he was long gone by then.


    Steven ran out of the damnable camp and through the horde of undead. The mindless things tried to grab and claw at him. But all they could do was slightly slow him down at most. He didn¡¯t even have to think about it as he tore through them and carved his escape path to freedom.


    His mind didn¡¯t even register the flood of Experience notifications. Getting as far as possible from that monstrous Druid was the only thing he could afford to focus on.


    The Phantom Rogue soon broke through the outside perimeter of undead. He spared a quick glance over the shoulder, but didn¡¯t see any signs of being chased. Sweat dripped off his chin as he still maintained full speed as he sprinted into the woods.


    He ran and ran. The trees surrounding him were just a brown blur as he sped through the forest. Steven¡¯s heart threatened to explode out of his chest as the edges of his visions started to twist and turn. He wouldn¡¯t be able to run forever, not with his serious burns. At some point soon, he¡¯d need to stop and consume a Potion of Healing to start recovering.


    Steven eventually moved past a line of trees and reached a break in the woods. He entered a clearing, and only then slowly came to a stop. Behind him, the columns of smoke from the camp were small and far away. Even now, there still wasn¡¯t any indication of the Druid being hot on the pursuit.


    Had he actually managed to get away? Would it be safe here, at least for just a couple of minutes of rest? Steven closed his eyes and deeply inhaled. His breathing was shaky, but the act was still calming as it marked a mental checkpoint. He¡¯d take out a potion and let it do its work. At the same time, he needed to find a suitable place to hide for the time being, just in case.


    Yet his surge of relief was cut short as something then caught his attention. From overhead, he heard a screech. Steven opened his eyes and looked up to see what appeared to be some kind of bird. After the initial events of the Apocalypse, the local wildlife had also suffered heavily and became rare sights. That was why even something so relatively mundane as a bird managed to draw his attention.


    Guess it¡¯s some kind of falcon, or maybe a hawk? Huh, is it- Steven¡¯s thoughts were cut off from a sudden and horrible realization. That bird was flying fast, way too fast. And not only that, but it was heading straight toward him, right from the direction of the camp.


    ¡°Oh fuck!¡± Steven cursed. He turned to start running again, but then heard another screech. One that was now much closer than the first. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking. And he yelled with fright as he saw the hawk already swooping down with its talons outstretched.


    ¡°No! No! No! Please, I¡¯ll do anything! Just spare me, please! I¡¯ll-¡± he tried to beg for mercy as he ran. But there was no answer as the hawk only continued to descent faster than he could run.


    Steven then felt a sharp pain across the back of his neck. He swung back with his daggers to try and get in a strike of his own. Something, anything to fend for himself after having tapped his Mana supply dry. But the hawk moved even faster than his swing as it turned on a dime mid-air.


    The last thing Steven ever saw was its claws as they aimed for his eyes. Then just a moment later, the last thing he ever felt was his throat being pierced. And finally, the last thing ever thought was how he still hoped that a miracle could occur that would let him escape with his life.


    Then nothing.

 Chapter 51:

    Now back in his human form, Jaco turned away from the corpse of the third Chosen. His death had officially marked the end of their trio as a whole. Before walking away, he took just one last glance back at the body.


    I should probably check him for artifacts. I won¡¯t be able to use them right away, but better to keep them in my Bag of Holding for sake keeping anyway. He knelt down beside the corpse and opened his bag to start adding items, starting with the pair of daggers.


    While doing so, his mind fell into a state of contemplation. Jaco wasn¡¯t quite sure how felt about their deaths. Within his heart of hearts, he did feel accomplished. Yet there were mixed feelings hidden deeper within that accomplishment.


    He took no joy in killing and would honestly be horrified of what had become of him if he ever did enjoy the act. But at the same time, the young man hadn¡¯t quite expected the feeling of emptiness that he was currently experiencing.


    It almost felt like it had been too easy. That their second meeting should have been a tough battle like the first, but one where he could edge out a victory. Instead, it was a completely one sided beatdown. Where for the most part, he had practically bullied them around like they were little kids. Not that they didn¡¯t deserve that kind of treatment, because they totally did.


    Yet beyond that feeling of empty disappointment, Jaco also felt a strong sense of catharsis. He remembered the first few days after escaping the trio. Of constantly looking over his shoulder for them and being extra vigilant whenever he took a break.


    Now there would be no more need for that. Not for him or for anyone else that would have to worry about them. Their deaths would be a net positive for all the people around who simply tried to survive and make the best they could out of the Apocalypse.


    He did wonder if perhaps he should feel happier than he did for his good deed to the world. But in the end, it didn¡¯t really matter how he felt. It just needed to be done for the sake of the greater good, and so it would.


    Jaco put the last of the Chosen¡¯s equipment into his bag. In addition to the artifact pair of daggers, there was a second set of twin twinblades underneath his robes. The System didn¡¯t tag them as artifacts, so he assumed they were just the base weapons of a Phantom Rogue.


    Ones that clearly hadn¡¯t gotten much use the guy found the artifacts that could be teleported to. But aside from the starter pair of blades and Twin Daggers of Blinking as they were called, there were only a couple other things. There was a Potion of Healing as well as a Potion of Mana. And that was it.


    Huh, figured he¡¯d have more artifacts than this by now. Though that other dude from a while ago did only really have the Sheath of 100 Blades on him. I guess either it¡¯s just harder to find more after a certain point, or the other Chosen got to them first, Jaco thought to himself.


    In which he then realized that perhaps he¡¯d gotten a bit spoiled. As far as artifact collecting went, he was firmly a hoarder with an entire armory inside his bag. Though it wasn¡¯t like he could be generous and spread them around to the people of the camp.


    Jaco would probably do that with the Sheath of 100 Blades, the Twin Daggers, and any other non-consumables from the Chosen Few. Since only he could use the Infernal stuff due to the Devil¡¯s Essence, he could certainly afford giving away those regular artifacts. But with everything now put away, the Druid got back up to his feet.


    There were still thousands of monsters attacking the camp. But he actually wasn¡¯t too worried about the horde. With how ridiculously large the gap was between his Level and the horde¡¯s average, even their sheer numbers were no longer enough to threaten him.


    At this point, dealing with them would be as easy as taking out the trash. Just a chore that could be done swiftly if he put his mind to it. The undead army would be nothing more, nothing less than that.


    Yet as Jaco was about ready to leave the clearing and get back to the camp, he heard a stick snapping off to the side. At that same moment, his gut instincts warned him of danger. It didn¡¯t scream of an already incoming attack. But just that there was an imminent source of danger coming from all sides.


    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t just those three after all. Is this all of you now?¡± Jaco addressed the Chosen Few as they entered the foerst¡¯s clearing. His eyes quickly darted around to assess the situation. He counted six total members, and immediately checked their Level as his gaze fell on each one.


    32, 35, 36, 34, 34, and 38. Well shit, weren¡¯t there only supposed to like eight of these guys in total? With that Martial Artist I killed, doesn¡¯t that make ten already? he asked himself.


    But while the ones in the mid 30s were one thing, there was the man who stood a head above the rest at 38. He was the one that Jaco paid particular close attention to for his information, giving it more than just a quick glance.


    Spellblade (Human)


    Evolved (Conditional Magus)


    Level: 38


    Well this certainly didn¡¯t seem good. Six versus one would already be bad enough. But the person closest to him in Level also had a unique Class as well. There was no way for him to tell if it was a Rare Class like his or not. Either way, it¡¯d probably spell trouble.


    Yet when Jaco glanced away from the golden screen and took a better look at its source, his eyes widened slightly. He assumed that the strongest one would have to be the leader of the Chosen Few. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was for the man to be so¡­ young.


    What he saw was someone who was a late teen, maybe his early 20s at the very oldest. To imagine that the one leading these psychopaths was potentially not even old enough to legally drink was a disconcerting thought. While it¡¯d place him at only being a few years younger than Jaco himself, the point was still there.


    But the man¡¯s age didn¡¯t matter. He was still a serial killer with who knew how many victims piled behind him. And while he was only two Levels behind Jaco and had superior numbers for support, the Druid wasn¡¯t dissuaded.


    Jaco had faced greater odds before and came out on top. Compared to overcoming the Minotaur, this was still the lesser challenge. He gripped his staff, readying himself for the fight to come. Jaco already had a simple but effective plan in mind for how to deal with them.


    Like with the trio, he¡¯d start with the lowest Level members and steadily remove their numbers advantage. Then their leader would be saved for last after all the other distractions were removed from the playing field. That was his path to victory and ending the Chosen Few once and for all.


    Jaco tensed, ready to react to whatever they struck with and then counterattack. But rather than commence the battle, the man before him spoke up.


    ¡°Hah, so you really did kill Steven and the other two fools. But to answer your question, no. This is not all of us. I¡¯m Levi, and I¡¯m happy to finally meet the infamous Druid in the flesh. Before we tear each other to bloody pieces like animals, how about we have a civilized discussion first?¡± the Chosen¡¯s leader said with a smile.


    Jaco scanned the reactions of the other Chosen. While their leader stepped forward, they remained at the perimeter of the clearing. From their positioning and the way they held their weapons, they were tensed up. They were still prepared to spring into action at any moment, but seemed to be holding back for the time being.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    So I suppose this Levi does just want to talk for now. Alright, I¡¯ll humor him. I could use the chance to restore some of my Mana anyway, while I¡¯m sure they¡¯re more topped off in that department. So drawing things out a bit should just work to my advantage for when the starting gun eventually goes off, Jaco concluded.


    ¡°Infamous?¡± he cautiously asked.  But while Levi had decided to introduce himself, Jaco wasn¡¯t quite in the mood for sharing his name and playing nice. In the back of his mind, he continued to strategize instead. Worst comes to worst, the Druid could always make a tactical retreat.


    His Bag of Mist could create the opening and time needed to chug down some consumables. There were still two each of his three different Hell Elixirs in his Bag of Holding. So if given the opportunity, they could be the key to turn things around if he ended up being on the backfoot.


    Levi¡¯s grin widened further. ¡°Well of course. It¡¯s not often that we come across high Level people you know? Especially those that neither join nor end up getting killed by us. And instead escape  and seemingly vanish into thin air. Those three spent quite a while trying to track you down, thinking you would try to get out of the city. But now I¡¯m guessing that you only went further in, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I did. What¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°Alright. Well the thing is that I¡¯ve recently adopted the policy of trying to recruit extra people to my group. And as you may have noticed, a few positions have recently opened up. You¡¯re strong, you¡¯re capable of killing, and you have a unique Class. I¡¯m even willing to assume that it¡¯s the same as mine and the System says it¡¯s Rare. As of the moment, you''re easily the single strongest human around. So I at least have to try and ask if you¡¯d be willing to join,¡± Levi said.


    Jaco raised a completely distrusting brow. ¡°Really now? After all of this, and you¡¯d really still try to sell a recruitment pitch? And I¡¯m sure there aren¡¯t any strings attached to that. Because you definitely aren¡¯t just gonna try and stab me in the back for the Experience the moment my guard is down. Whether that be the moment I shook your hand or later when you know I¡¯m eventually asleep.¡±


    He almost couldn¡¯t believe it. How many times had he received this exact offer by now? Two? Three? Did these people really think he¡¯d be receptive to their willingness to commit murder just because he wasn¡¯t afraid of fighting and had a high Level? What kind of screwed up logic was that?


    No. At this point, he¡¯d only believed it as a ploy to get in a suckerpunch later than to fight him now while he was ready for it. That was the only thing that made at least some sense.


    ¡°Ah, well there¡¯s the thing. What do you think the ¡®Chosen¡¯ part of the Chosen Few really means. At first it was just a means to gather together those with the willingness to do anything to get ahead in this changed world. But then I came to see that the System didn''t grant us powers equally. Most people are stuck with just the basic Classes. However, some get the option for an Uncommon or even Rare Class, one that¡¯s obviously the superior choice in every respect.¡± Levi threw up his hands as he then continued.


    ¡°Yet no matter how I looked at it, there wasn¡¯t any obvious pattern. The Level you reach before selecting a Class, how many things you kill, what you¡¯ve killed. Who you were as a person before the Apocalypse. There just didn¡¯t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. But then I had an idea. The System was built by those who¡¯ve only known eternal war while at the brink of losing it. You don¡¯t give the highest quality guns to every single soldier, that¡¯s just too costly. No, you give them cheaper equipment that can be mass produced. And save the actually good stuff for the elites that can best use it.¡±


    He held his blade in the air and stared at its reflection in the light. Jaco just continued to watch as the Chosen¡¯s leader seemed intent on continuing his monologue even further.


    ¡°I imagine that the System knows us better than we know ourselves. Both in mind, body, and heck even soul. So like how some people are genetically predisposed to be better at running in sprints or marathons, who¡¯s to say that isn¡¯t the case here? That the System kept an eye on all of us at the start, and then picked those who were the most worthy of a greater power. So if the System believes that these people have more potential, then I believe gathering these Chosen elites together will eventually be the best path forward,¡± he finally finished.


    ¡°Uhuh. And I¡¯m sure it¡¯s logical for a military¡¯s special forces to decimate their main army. Like how you go around killing other people. Because that totally makes sense for that analogy,¡± Jaco sarcastically replied.


    Levi shook his head. ¡°It does when the elites gain strength through the death of those masses. This a fight for survival where only the strongest will be able to remain. All the weak can do is drag us behind and consume resources that could have been better saved for those that¡¯ll actually still be alive within a year from now. From an efficiency standpoint, it makes perfect sense to farm them for the one thing they¡¯re still good at providing: Experience Points.¡±


    The Druid just stared, his expression unmoved by the argument. To him, it sounded like a load of nonsense no matter how it was spun. All he heard was the empty logic of someone that clearly liked to hear themselves talk a lot.


    The Chosen¡¯s leader sighed. ¡°Alright, fine. I didn¡¯t come here for a debate. Talking any further would clearly be pointless since you¡¯ve made your stance rather clear. I was truly genuine with my offer, but it seems that you¡¯ll have to die after all.¡±


    Jaco¡¯s body immediately tensed back up. At the very least, that had bought a few minutes to recoup a bit of spent Mana. But right before their battle could start, he heard the sound of rapidly stomping feet. And just a second later as the Chosen shifted, they too noticed the noise and turned toward it.


    ¡°Jaco!¡± a familiar voice yelled out. He turned to see as several figures ran through the woods. At the forefront were Eveleyn, Noah, Sam, and even a heavily bandaged Alex. And though they hadn¡¯t arrived yet, he could hear the marching of many more people not far behind.


    ¡°You guys! What about the camp and the horde?¡± Jaco asked. He was thrown for a loop to see that they were here and how they knew where he was. But at the same time, his expression turned into a genuine smile upon seeing them all.


    As they arrived, Levi motioned back with one hand. In an instant, the Chosen surrounding Jaco immediately moved to be directly behind their leader.


    Evelyn was the first to get to his side. Sweat was running down her brow, but otherwise she seemed fine. Jaco had been concerned that her internal injury still might not have fully healed and would have acted up. But it seemed that either a Potion of Healing had helped or perhaps just her Endurance finally fixed things up.


    ¡°They got everyone else safely evacuated. So since the horde will just move away on its own, there was no reason to potentially die for a bunch of empty tents. But I noticed you flying away in your hawk body and that you hadn¡¯t come back after a while. Looks like I was right to trust my gut and get people over here,¡± Evelyn explained. As she did so, the others caught up and began to enter the clearing to also stand by Jaco¡¯s side.


    And as Sam came to the front, Jaco noticed as her expression suddenly tightened with what was clearly a chaotic storm of emotions. When he looked over to the Chosen¡¯s leader, he saw that the man¡¯s smile had shifted into a toothy grin.


    ¡°Well well well, I wasn¡¯t expecting my sister to show up alongside a dead woman. Guess that means you¡¯re officially filing your resignation notice, huh, Evelyn?¡± Levi said with a mocking tone.


    Sam flinched upon hearing his voice. While at the same time, Evelyn glared with cold daggers in her eyes. Jaco glanced between the leader of the Chosen and the redhead he¡¯d recently met. Questions would have to come about that exchange just now. But it would have to be saved for a later time.


    For a moment, things were still as two groups stared each other down. All the while, more and more people from the camp continued to rush in. Finally, one person was the first one to break the tension as he shrugged with a disappointed sigh.


    ¡°You know what, I¡¯m actually feeling quite satisfied with how things played out so far. So with that being said, I think the time has come for use to make our exit. Lick your wounds, bury your dead, and try to rebuild if that¡¯s what you want to do. But if you do so, know what sooner rather than later, your camp will be completely razed to the ground. And you¡¯ll truly understand that today was just a taste of what was to come,¡± Levi said with a cruel sneer.


    Jaco internally scoffed at his words. Beyond the threat, the Chosen were just planning to run away now that they were losing in both highest Level and total numbers. For a moment, he considered just calling their bluff and attacking right there and then. But right before he gathered the Mana to do so, the Druid hesitated.


    While they did have many more people, their average Level still left a lot to be desired. If a fight broke out right now, how many would die simply from being caught in the crossfire? Jaco found himself stuck between two conflicting sides. He knew that if left to run around, the Chosen Few could continue to cause damage. They¡¯d even just threatened to soon come back and finish the job, after all. So that was the potential lives that could be lost.


    But then there were the almost guaranteed deaths that¡¯d happen if they fought now. Could he live with those deaths if he were the one to take the first shot? And effectively bring what didn¡¯t have to happen? The only way to prevent that would be to kill all the Chosen before they could retaliate. Yet even with his powers, there was no way to truly guarantee that.


    Jaco¡¯s jaw tightly clenched with frustration. He just couldn¡¯t bring himself to bring that upon the people around him. As loath as he was to admit it, the Chosen Few would get their chance to walk away.


    The death and destruction they¡¯d caused so far would go without retribution. At least for now.

 Chapter 52:

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she surveyed the camp. Or at the very least, what was left of it. Once all the non-fighters were evacuated and the rest also temporarily left the area, most of the horde just moved on without anything around to draw their aggression. And those undead or Sirens that did become idle and hung about instead were quickly cleaned up.


    She glanced over to Noah as he walked beside her. His clothes were covered in muck and grime. And he, like the majority, looked worse for wear as his expression was that of a tired man.


    Sam rubbed the soot out of her eye as the two of them stopped in front of the corpse of a Martial Artist. Since it was lying face down in the dirt, she knelt down and turned the body so that they could see its facial features.


    ¡°Ah damn it,¡± Noah muttered. ¡°We don¡¯t need the reference for this one. Even if his face is damaged, I can still recognize him. Poor guy, lost his only family in the initial explosion of the Apocalypse, and now this is what fate had left for him. Sam, go down to the Bs and mark George Brown as one of the deceased,¡± he finished with a heavy sigh. They had both already sighed much on this day, and would likely do so many more times.


    They needed to count the dead. And the only way to do that was to manually try and identify each corpse and mark the name in their registry. The registry had originally been made as just a way to keep track of all their members. But now it showed another purpose through a more morbid usage.


    Yet things weren¡¯t really as simple as just finding a body and crossing a corresponding name. It was easy enough if the face was actually identifiable enough for either of them to either know the person or if it matched a listed description. Like while there were plenty of people named David, there were only so many with tanned skin, green eyes, and light brown hair. And then narrow it down even further through their listed Class and comparing the starting equipment with a corpse¡¯s worn gear.


    But things got a lot harder when the deceased¡¯s head was too damaged to actually be identifiable. Then trying to use their list of registered people basically went out the window. Their initial idea to deal with that had been to simply make a comparison and contrast.


    If someone wasn¡¯t counted amongst the survivors, then they could be considered at least one of the unknown corpses. Then they could start from that point and work from there. However, Sam and Noah had quickly realized that wouldn¡¯t work. Simple and obvious solutions like that seemed to almost never do.


    Between the known survivors and the dead, the total numbers hadn¡¯t quite added up. Which meant that there was a third group. Those who were simply missing entirely. According to their initial estimate, about 15% of their populace was gone. It did make sense though. That rather than following the evacuation plan, a fair number of people would just run away on their own.


    Noah hoped that as time passed, those who¡¯d left would start to trickle back in. That once they soon realized the camp hadn¡¯t been wiped out, they would return. Yet Sam didn¡¯t quite share in that hope of his.


    A few hours had already passed by since the fighting had completely finished. And so far, none of those who¡¯d left had returned as of yet. If Sam was being honest with herself, she wasn¡¯t sure what to do if or when some of them did start to come back. She¡¯d already heard the first reports of people who¡¯d joined the defenders, only to run as soon as things went sideways according to witnesses. And there would likely be more of those reports to come over the next couple days.


    They weren¡¯t an actual military, government, or anything like that. So it was hard to say just what kind of rules or regulations should even apply anymore. But that kind of thing wasn¡¯t just something that could be glossed over, as if it didn¡¯t happen. What some of them did was straight up desertion. Something that when added up between the total amount of deserters, could very well have made the difference.


    Certainly, not everyone who¡¯d run away was a defender that left their post. A fair number were likely the civilizations who would have been evacuated anyway. But if Sam had to make a guess, she believed that probably around 10% of their unaccounted for population were actual deserters though.


    Would they even have actually changed things by staying? Nobody could know for sure, to be honest. Yet if they could have helped hold a stable line of defense for even just a little bit longer, perhaps a few deaths might have been avoidable. In any case, it was the principle of it all that truly mattered.


    That was not a headache Sam was looking forward to. While she doubted that many of the deserters would ever come back, at least one likely would. And if that person was confirmed to have been a fighter that broke the line early and abandoned the camp, they¡¯d have to decide what to do with them.


    Crimes hadn¡¯t really been an issue so far, so they had no need to recreate any kind of legal system. But that might soon need to change. They couldn¡¯t afford to let people think they could just desert and then think they could come back and all would be forgiven. Especially when the Chosen had made clear their intention to return and finish the job.


    It was unknown when the Chosen Few would come back. Sam wished she could provide an estimate based on what she knew about Levi¡¯s way of thinking. However, that wasn¡¯t something she could do any more. Over the course of the Apocalypse so far, her brother had already become like a completely different person.


    So Sam didn¡¯t know if they would have time to rebuild. Or if it would even be safe for anyone to venture into the city, where the Chosen could be lying in wait. Which would make it even harder for them to regather lost supplies or gain Experience Points to get stronger. After today¡¯s events, the future was already looking rather dour.


    But if nothing else, it could have been so much worse. Sam was alive, Noah was alive. And so were so many others due Jaco¡¯s intervention. If he hadn¡¯t drawn the collective attention of the Chosen Few when he did, many more would have died today.


    The two of them continued to walk around the battlefield. It didn''t take them long to go from corpse to corpse, continuing their routine. Find a body, identify it, mark a name off the list. Find a body, identify it, mark a name off the list. Find a body, identify it, mark a name off the list. Find a body¡­


    Sam¡¯s chest felt tight. And it was only partially due to all the smoke and various odors still in the air. Within her mind, a question bounced around inside her skull for what was more than the dozenth time today. Could things have been different if she¡¯d been kinder to Jaco and didn¡¯t add to his reasoning to leave?


    If that Druid had been here from the start, there was every chance that things could have played out differently. That with his power, some of these names on the list might not have been marked off. If they could¡¯ve been saved, then wasn¡¯t it her fault that they ended up dying instead?


    It was impossible to know how things could have been different. Of what might have happened if Jaco had chosen to stay at their encampment. The main reason for why he¡¯d become so high in Level was due to being in the city 24/7, after all. But even so, Sam couldn¡¯t help but consider the alternate road that could have been traveled.


    Noah had spent some time in the city to gain a few Levels. So if he¡¯d stuck around, Jaco could have still done the same thing by going back and forth every few days. Perhaps the end result would have been Jaco being a couple Levels lower than he currently was. Yet even so, that still might have been enough. Especially if he¡¯d taken the scavengers deeper into the city and helped raise their Levels further in turn. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    In that kind of world, perhaps the camp might not have been overrun. Maybe they would have been able to hold the wall as the first and only line of defense. If she had just been more trusting from the start, that potential reality could have been their current one.


    ¡°Come on Sam,¡± Noah said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I think we¡¯ve done enough on our end for the time being.


    She looked back at him, then around at bodies that had yet to be cataloged. ¡°But there¡¯s still so much to do. How have we done enough when there¡¯s still¡­ all of this left?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still plenty more work to be done, yes. But it doesn¡¯t have to fall on your or any one person¡¯s shoulders alone.  I¡¯ll hand this copy of the list to someone else, and they can take it from there. Go on and head back to my tent and take a break with the others. I¡¯ll be just a few seconds behind you.¡±


    ¡°I can still keep going though,¡± Sam continued to insist. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. I-¡±


    ¡°Sam, you¡¯re not fine. None of us are after today. But there¡¯s no point in having a community of people if we can¡¯t cover each other¡¯s work. So go on and head back to my tent,¡± Noah said, putting his foot down.


    With most of the RVs now wrecked after the battle and many tents trampled or burned, they were scrambling for temporary accommodations. And so their leader¡¯s current tent was the largest. But while being his living space, it also remained multifunctional as their meeting area. So it¡¯d only really be Noah¡¯s whenever he needed to sleep. Which with their System enhanced bodies, meant it wouldn¡¯t be solely his space very often .


    Sam hesitated for a moment as she glanced off to the ground. At the moment, that was where several people were, Jaco included. Then with a small nod, she turned and started in the direction of Noah¡¯s tent.


    ¡ª--


    Jaco stood against a wall of the tent, his arms crossed against his chest. The last couple of hours had been quite taxing in the mental department. Right after the Chosen Few left, he¡¯d kept watch while circling the area. Just in case their departure had just been a trick to get their guard down.


    It was only just a short while ago that he finally allowed himself to relax. As far as he¡¯d been able to tell, the Chosen had truly left the area. For now they were probably already back at the inner parts of the city.


    While he hadn¡¯t seen any evidence for it, Jaco believed that an organized group like that probably had some kind of central point. A location for them to meet or at least rendezvous on occasion. The central area of the city was only so big, even with how chaotic of a ruined urban environment it was. If he set enough of it on fire, then eventually, the rats would be flushed out. Then they¡¯d be able to fight without any worries of innocent casualties to make him hesitate.


    For the time being, however, Jaco decided to stick around in the camp. If he left now while they were still vulnerable, then it really would be an act that basically begged for the Chosen to strike. So for now, he¡¯d act as a high Level wall that¡¯d make them think twice about attacking. And as he was staying anyway, it also made for a good opportunity to catch up with some people.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you actually managed to hit Level 40,¡± Alex said. ¡°I didn¡¯t really get a chance to actually see it after I got taken out of danger. But I still felt that massive explosion from the supermassive fireball. Were you really able to reflect that with just a single thought?¡± The teen¡¯s tone was filled with awe as he stood in front of the Druid.


    Jaco waved his hand. ¡°Ah, I wouldn¡¯t say it was as easy as you¡¯ve heard. It honestly took everything I had to force it to reverse direction. If I¡¯d messed up by even the slightest margin, it would have just exploded early right in my face.¡±


    ¡°But still! That alone cleared out a large portion of the horde. It¡¯s probably the thing that actually grabbed the leader of the Chosen¡¯s attention. If it hadn¡¯t, I don¡¯t wanna know what they would have done if they had more time to execute their plan. So that alone might have saved a lot of lives,¡± Alex insisted.


    ¡°Well, I am glad that I at least came when I did. And that I¡¯m actually strong enough now that even their leader can¡¯t act carelessly while I¡¯m around. But that being said¡­¡± Jaco thought to all the corpses he saw that were strewn around. Of the front entrance he once walked through, now destroyed.


    ¡°Honestly?¡± he continued. ¡°I just wish that I got here sooner. And that I was even stronger than I am now. Strong enough to take on all the Chosen right there and then without any worries. But since their leader, Levi, is only two Levels behind me, I couldn¡¯t take a risk like that. Not without knowing what kind of Abilities or artifacts he has hidden up his sleeve.¡±


    At that moment, two people entered the tent. The first was Sam, with Noah then following just right behind her. But while the former kept a slower pace, the latter sped up and directly approached him.


    ¡°Jaco, aren¡¯t you a sight of sore eyes? Out of every face I¡¯ve looked at today, yours¡¯ is probably the one I¡¯m happiest to see,¡± Noah warmly greeted. The Mage held out a hand, and Jaco took it to clasp together for a firm handshake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the compliment. How¡¯ve you been, Noah?¡± Jaco asked. It¡¯d taken him a second to fully recognize the leader of the camp. The poor dude looked like he¡¯d aged several years since Jaco had left.


    ¡°To be frank, a part of me is really hoping that this whole Apocalypse will turn out to be just one long nightmare. And that I¡¯ll wake up at any second and then forget it after a few cold ones. But other than that, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The two of them proceeded to catch up for a bit. Though after just a minute or two, Sam walked up to Jaco. He turned, and when their eyes met, she almost immediately broke eye contact by looking off to the side. Additionally from what he could tell from just her general demeanor, she seemed to be a bit nervous about something.


    ¡°Hey Sam. I already caught up with Adam and Burt before they had to go do some work. But it¡¯s good that you guys all managed to get out of that mess okay. How are you holding up?¡± Jaco asked as he held out his hand.


    The young woman paused. But then just a second later, her posture seemed to relax a bit. She took the offered hand, her face turning into a small and tired smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ okay. I guess that I¡¯m just thankful that the two of them managed to survive. Since Adam was posted to be farther off on the side of the wall, that let him avoid the brunt of that ice attack. That was just luck more than anything else. But I¡¯ll take it,¡± Sam admitted.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with you there. After all the shit the Apocalypse has made us go through, I think we¡¯re all overdue on a bit of luck,¡± Jaco agreed.


    ¡°Mhmm. Maybe more than just a bit, at this rate. So how have you been Jaco?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m as alright as I could be, I suppose. I was actually planning on stopping back at the camp soon as it was. Just didn¡¯t expect it to be in these kinds of circumstances. It was just lucky that I looked in this direction after the Chosen attacked. ¡± he said with a heavy sigh.


    ¡°But even now, there¡¯s still more messes that¡¯ll need to be dealt with. And I¡¯m honestly not sure what to do for some of them,¡± Jaco continued. His eyes darted over to one figure standing by herself.


    The redheaded Warrior, Evelyn. The person who he helped just earlier that day. And the person who was apparently a former member of the Chosen Few.


    Though it was only a quick look, Sam picked it up as she then also glanced over. Though she didn¡¯t say anything, the small frown that formed on her face spoke for itself. Nobody had acknowledged Evelyn¡¯s status as a former Chosen as of yet, since they were unsure how to handle that information.


    Just the knowledge of that fact was still kept contained to only those who¡¯d been close enough to hear it from Levi at the time. If the people of the camp were to learn about it so soon after the attack, it¡¯d just spark a mess of its own. So for the time being, it was pushed aside until they could make a plan about it.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m with you on that one. But actually, there is something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you about. If you don¡¯t mind it, I mean,¡± Sam said.


    ¡°I mean, that kind of depends on what you want to ask about, right? But sure, go on ahead,¡± Jaco said with a nod.


    ¡°Alright. Just what happened to you in the city? Because while your high Level is already one thing, what caused your Species change? You don¡¯t seem any different, but the implication of being Hell-Touched¡­¡± she trailed off, seemingly hesitant to go any farther than that.


    The Druid let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yeah, that. Well since you guys are already here, I might as well share what my last¡­ God, it really is still the same day, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jaco said, seemingly asking himself the question.


    ¡°The same day?¡± Sam asked, looking a tad confused.


    ¡°Ahhh, I think I¡¯ll just start with how things went right after I left, just to get you fully caught up. So the first big thing was when I was near the inner city, and had my first run-in with the Chosen Few.¡±


    Everyone within the tent had already started listening in as he began. Even when compared to what they all just went through, they already knew this was going to be quite the story.

 Chapter 53:

    Jaco took a step back as he judged his latest work. Through his manipulation of earth, he¡¯d created a small building. It wasn¡¯t anything fancy, just a single room structure that didn¡¯t even have any windows. At the front was just a single hole that acted as an open doorway.


    The Druid could have made it better and more intricate if he¡¯d really tried. But what he was aiming for was simple efficiency, as there was only so much time in the day. This was just one shelter out of dozens he had already created for the camp. And since there was still more to be done, he just focused on making sure that each person could have a roof over their head.


    ¡°Damn, just how much Mana do you have?¡± Burt asked as he approached from behind. His brow was covered in sweat from also working all day to aid the camp¡¯s reconstruction.


    ¡°The benefits of high Spell Power, I guess. I never really had to build actual structures like this with my Ability, so it took a bit of practice at first. But now I think I¡¯ve gotten the hang of it and can keep going without wasting as much Mana per shelter,¡± Jaco said.


    While the other man was dirty and covered in sweat, he was almost unfairly clean and well kempt. Though that was just the reality of being able to do all his current labor with magic alone.


    Burt shook his head with a bit of disbelief. ¡°And once you¡¯re done, you said your plan is to work on rebuilding the wall next, right? At this rate, I expect to wake up one day and find out you rebuilt the entire city by yourself or something like that.¡±


    ¡°You know, that¡¯s not a bad idea. Maybe after the Chosen Few are dealt with, we could start focusing more on actually clearing out all the monsters in it. Then from there, I might actually be able to do just that.¡± Jaco assumed that the statement was made half-jokingly, but he really did consider it.


    ¡°Hmm. Just the other day, I doubted that we¡¯d ever be comfortable with actually living in that city. With all the bad memories it has for everyone that¡¯s seen so much death and destruction. But with the recent attack, I guess that idea doesn¡¯t really matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well in any case, I should probably get back to it. See you later man,¡± Jaco said. It was nice to talk, however, there was still work that needed to be done.


    ¡°Right, same here. See you.¡±


    Having already done most of the work already, it didn¡¯t take him that much longer to finish the rest. Amongst the list of issues that the encampment was dealing with, accommodations for living space was now one thing that could be crossed off.  And it was completed by a single man within the span of just a few short hours.


    Let¡¯s see here, all in all, that actually did end up draining just a bit of Mana. For the wall, I¡¯d rather try to get it all done in one go if possible. So maybe I should take a small break and take a crack at it once my Mana supply is back to being completely full. Plus, I think Burt mentioned that it¡¯d be meal time right around now. Yeah, using that as a break could be a good idea, Jaco thought to himself.


    While a lot of space within his Bag of Holding was being taken up by the Infernal armory, he did still have quite a bit of saved food and water in there as well. It was a good thing he¡¯d decided to take what he could find while exploring the inner city.


    Because Jaco didn¡¯t need to eat or drink as much, it could be shared with those who could better use a meal. Since a lot of supplies were destroyed during the attack, food rations included, it¡¯d be one more way he could help out. Speaking of which, he wasn¡¯t sure what he would do next after the wall was finished.


    Jaco considered the idea as he walked across the camp. But as he did so, something caught his attention. He saw Alex moving toward him from off the side. He wasn¡¯t even sure if Alex had even noticed him, as there seemed to be something wrong. The teen¡¯s head was down, and he didn¡¯t even seem to be paying any attention to any of his surroundings.


    For a moment, Jaco considered if it¡¯d be better to leave him alone for the time being. But after a moment of thought, he decided against that idea. Instead, it¡¯d probably be better to see what was the exact issue and find out if there was anything he could do to help. So with that in mind, he began to walk up to the teen.


    ¡°Hey Alex, are you okay?¡± Jaco asked. The young Warrior paused mid-step and looked up at him, only then realizing that he was even there.


    ¡°I-I just found how many people in my team¡­ didn¡¯t make it.¡± The teen¡¯s eyes were red with tears already shed.


    Jaco¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Of course it would be that. Just a couple hours ago, Alex had been his normal self. But now that enough time had passed for him to actually process those deaths, it was probably hitting him like a truck. Before Jaco could say anything, Alex continued as his fists tightened.


    ¡°Jordan, Mark, and Tiffany were all with me when that Chosen bastard killed them. But¡­ I sent Evelyn to take two others to check the area for any undead that got past the frontlines. And- and they were torn apart in a corner where nobody else was,¡± Alex¡¯s voice caught as the last sentence was barely more than a whisper.


    I¡­ I¡¯m sorry Alex. Maybe if I¡¯d just gotten here sooner¡­¡± Jaco trailed off as he tried to find the words.


    The teen shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Jaco. It¡¯s mine.  I should have taken them to the city more. If they had been higher Level, then they could be alive right now.¡±


    Jaco clasped a hand over his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone could have known that¡¯d happen. The attack could have come a few days ago just as easily as it did today. But if anyone¡¯s at fault, it isn¡¯t you or me, not really.¡±


    ¡°The Chosen Few,¡± Alex said, his eyes narrowing with a flare of anger. ¡°I need to get stronger, strong enough to avenge them. I only have a few Levels to go before my Class Evolution. But¡­ I can¡¯t just leave on my own yet, not without there being a risk. So what am I supposed to do now?¡±


    Jaco sighed as he thought about it for a few moments. Right now, he was sure that Alex wanted nothing more than to rush to the city and grind for Experience. So just the self-awareness to still restrain himself even while clearly emotional was something worthy of respect. For the time being, however, what he probably needed most was just time to process that internal storm of emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know it¡¯s there, but there¡¯s a hill over by that edge of the camp that I liked to sit at.¡± Jaco gestured in its direction. ¡°It¡¯s got a nice view and doesn¡¯t really get visited very much. I think that should still be true, even now. So if you just need to be alone for a while, that could be a good spot.¡±


    Alex glanced between it and then back to him before giving a small nod. ¡°Yeah, yeah I think that might be a good idea. But if anyone needs me-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell them that you¡¯re preoccupied for the moment,¡± Jaco said to cut him off. ¡°You have every right to put your own mental health first for the time being. If what anyone else needs isn¡¯t an urgent emergency, then it can come later. Alright?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°...Alright,¡± Alex eventually acquiesced after a couple seconds of hesitation. Then as the Druid stayed behind and watched, he then walked off toward the direction of the hill.


    Jaco hoped that having some time alone really would be the best thing for Alex. He couldn¡¯t imagine the mental state that he was in right now. While he was still not caught up on the details, it seemed the teen had really built something for himself. After the death of his best friend, Liam, he¡¯d been a wreck.


    But at some point between now and then, he¡¯d actually found the drive to grow stronger and even become the leader of his own group encompassing the teens of the camp. Yet all of that had just been shattered like a pane of glass being smashed by a hammer. However he ended up needing to deal with that grief though, Jaco could at least do his best to help. Whether it was giving Alex space, someone to talk to, or something else, he¡¯d try to provide it.


    In any case, he then went over to his original destination. Jaco stopped by the new meal prep area and proceeded to offload his personal supply of food and water. As he did so, he kept an eye out for Granny, the friendly older lady who was the main caretaker of the camp¡¯s regular meals. Yet even after looking around and concluding his business there, he hadn¡¯t seen her.


    Jaco felt a small pit form in his stomach at the apparent absence of the elderly woman. A part of him hoped that maybe he was wrong, and that she was just busy somewhere else. Yet there was every possibility that the reason Granny was missing was because she was one of those who hadn¡¯t made it.


    Hopefully he would see her around later and simply disprove that idea. Otherwise¡­ maybe he¡¯d need to ask about checking the list of the deceased to know for certain. Jaco shook his head. To distract himself, he went ahead and opened his Sheet as he walked.


    General Info:


    Species: Hell-Touched Human


    Level: 40


    Class: Druid


    Evolution: True Shifter


    Secondary Class: Blight Warlock


    Level: 7


    Stats:


    Strength: 139


    Agility: 90


    Endurance: 132


    Will: 114


    Spell Power: 155


    Unspent Points: 0


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Animal Instincts


    Passive: One With Nature


    Passive: Permanent Aspect One


    Passive: Wild Constitution


    Active: Lesser Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Lesser Beast Transformation


    Active: Minor Primal Ferocity


    Active: Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental


    Secondary Class Abilities:


    Active: Lesser Pestilent Swarm


    Active: Lesser Zone of Blight


    Active: Lesser Rotting Summon


    Not much had changed over the course of the siege of the encampment. Even after killing those three members of the Chosen Few and his fair share of the undead horde, it hadn¡¯t been enough to gain him a Level Up.


    The only thing of note since he last took a look was that after all that killing, his Secondary Class¡¯s Level also had not increased. He hadn¡¯t used any of its Abilities while fighting, so that confirmed that it only earned its share of Experience upon doing so.


    Other than that, it was also clear that its Levels hadn¡¯t increased each of his Stats like his regular Levels did. Instead, it seemed that only the Stat Modifications it provided to Will and Spell Power were in effect. He supposed that was part of why it was only considered a Secondary Class, and not just a second one. That small difference in potential wording seemed to reflect the lesser benefit gained from increasing its Level.


    Even so, Jaco wasn¡¯t going to be one to complain. Between the initial flat boost from choosing the Class and what the Modifications provided so far, his Will and Spell Power were already 26 Points higher than they otherwise would have been.


    He did wonder if the Modification from the Blight Warlock Class would also carry over to whenever he increased his main Level. Which would be extra nice, since that¡¯d mean he could double dip that bonus. But that was a question that¡¯d be answered as soon as he hit Level 41.


    Some time then passed as Jaco went about his business. And after a little while, he eventually walked into Noah¡¯s tent. The leader of the camp looked up at him as he entered.


    ¡°Ah, Jaco. What can I do for you?¡± he asked while putting down a pencil.


    ¡°Two things. Just wanted to report that both the new housing and wall are all basically done. So now I just wanted to ask about where else I might be needed.¡±


    The Mage rapidly blinked a few times. ¡°Wait, really? Already?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Although I¡¯ll admit that the wall itself is pretty rough around the edges. It¡¯s basically just a big circle of stone with a hole where the front entrance is supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Noah said as he leaned back into his seat. ¡°When we talked about it earlier, I honestly thought that even with your powers, it¡¯d still take at least a couple of days. But just the fact that it only took a few hours just goes to show what your Level actually means, huh?¡±


    ¡°I guess so. Anyway, is there anything else I could help out with for the time being?¡± Jaco inquired.


    ¡°Hmm, there actually is something that I¡¯ve been thinking about for a bit now. You have an Ability that lets you manipulate plants and such, right? How would you compare it with your other Abilities in terms of its power?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, although I really haven¡¯t been able to get much use of it. Kinda hard to in an urban environment without much plant matter. And it¡¯s usually not worth the Mana to use it on my armor and wooden staff for more than enhancing their repairs. Since anything I could do with that has always been solved by another, faster-acting Ability.¡± Jaco was curious to find out where the other man was going with this, and why he brought it up.


    ¡°Right. But with how high your Will and Spell Power is, I imagine that you could still probably do a lot with it, right?¡± Noah asked.


    ¡°I suppose? Like I said, it¡¯s been a while. But even though it¡¯s still just a Minor Ability, it should be able to do more now with how much my Stats have increased. Did you have something specific in mind?¡±


    ¡°Well as you know, we¡¯re currently figuring out what to do in terms of rations,¡± Noah began, to which Jaco just nodded.


    ¡°The regular solution would be to send out the scavengers to look for supplies. But with the Chosen Few now a looming shadow, I¡¯m unsure if I would just be sending people for them to pick off. Yet I do know that there¡¯s some farmland not far from here. And while our current supply was lost, there should be plenty of seeds and such still stored in that area that we haven¡¯t collected yet. So here¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    ¡ª--


    Evelyn followed behind the Mage named Sam as she led her into a tent. The sword that would normally have been at her side was currently absent. Although she¡¯d voluntarily given it up, the missing weight that should have been on her hip felt wrong.


    Yet what else could she have done? After what Levi said during that standoff earlier, there was no way she¡¯d be able to keep her secret now. But while Evelyn could have just run off, exactly where could she have even gone.


    The Chosen would just find and kill her eventually if she went back to the city. And while she could have just picked any direction and started moving toward the horizon, who knew what was out there. The idea that anywhere on this planet was safe felt laughable at best. All running into the countryside would do was make her hope that she could make it while all alone.


    That there weren¡¯t any monsters stronger than her upon going far enough out. That she¡¯d be able to scrounge up enough food and water to survive after enough time passed for that to matter. Even if it took months for starvation to be an issue thanks to the System, that¡¯d just result in a slower death in the end.


    No. I¡¯m done running away and just hoping that there isn¡¯t another fire waiting on the other side. The truth of who I am should be obvious by now, and they clearly know from how they¡¯ve been looking at me since Levi basically spelled it out, Evelyn thought to herself.


    Sam had only now requested that they go somewhere private to ¡°talk¡±. While Evelyn still felt hesitant, she knew when it was time to understand what one¡¯s actions entailed. And then the consequences that they would eventually bring.


    Although she didn¡¯t consider herself to be like the rest of them, the fact remained the same. She was a former member of the Chosen Few. Now, she fully expected to receive judgment from those who¡¯d just been severely hurt by that group,


    What said judgment would be like and what it¡¯d mean for her, there was only one way to find out.

 Chapter 54:

    Evelyn couldn¡¯t help but recall a time before the Chosen Few, before the start of the Apocalypse. She¡¯d been with her boyfriend, Reggy, as they finally pulled the trigger on a vacation they¡¯d been planning for well over a year at that point. But with both of them working full-time jobs and having other things unexpectedly crop up at inopportune moments, they¡¯d never been able to actually find the time.


    Until finally, the stars finally seemed to align. The two of them both managed to get a week off work approved by their jobs. There weren¡¯t any last second emergencies to delay the trip or anything that required a sacrifice of some of their savings for it. The time had finally come. They would take a full week to just have some fun and go on a roadtrip across the country.


    Or at least, that¡¯s what was supposed to have happened. Evelyn remembered how it felt to get in that car and take the wheel. To get on the road with her boyfriend at her side, believing that the next week would turn into a memory that¡¯d be treasured for years to come. But as it turned out, the Apocalypse had a different idea in mind.


    On that fateful day, one could say that the two of them survived the initial blast only through pure luck. That they just so happened to wake up before their alarm went off, and decided to leave a bit earlier than initially planned. So they had a quick breakfast, made sure everything was packed, and drove off.


    And they¡¯d left not a minute too late. As soon as they got on the highway and were putting the city in the rearview mirror, the System¡¯s warning came. But then just a moment later, an explosion erupted from the center of the city. From how far their car already was, they managed to avoid the fireblast itself. The booming tidal wave of air, however, was a different story.


    Just a few seconds after they registered the fiery explosion itself, their car was suddenly slammed by the sonic boom. It easily shoved them forward, ripping it out of her control. The last thing Evelyn remembered of that particular moment was her panicked attempt to intentionally drive them into a ditch and at least get the car to stop. But then before she could, another out of control vehicle smashed into them.


    Their car was flipped over and tumbled off the road. Evelyn and her boyfriend bounced around in their seats from being thrown around, their seatbelts seemingly barely able to keep them in place. Then a split-second later, she was knocked out as the back of her head was knocked against the roof of the car.


    At the time, Evelyn had no idea how long she was unconscious for. Though now she knew that it was probably around a few hours before she eventually woke up. But when she did, it wasn¡¯t in the car or anywhere near it for that matter. Instead, it¡¯d been somewhere in the woods off to the side of the highway.


    And sitting a short distance away from Evelyn was her boyfriend. Though she remembered her eyes widened with some shock as the fog in her mind slowly dispersed. His regular clothing had been exchanged for a suit of chainmail armor. But just as shocking were the things off to the sides of her vision, golden screens from the System.


    Things were so hectic at that moment as she¡¯d been filled with a thousand and one questions. For what just happened, what the golden screens meant, and where that explosion had come from. And then just what had happened to her family that lived right around the origin of the fire blast.


    Those initial hours of the Apocalypse would likely remain the most confused and panicked of her entire life. But at the same time, things at that point were also rather simple. Evelyn and her boyfriend¡¯s goals became rather straightforward. Survive the undead that were now prowling the area, that¡¯d risen from those that had died in highway accidents like theirs.


    They survived the first day and made their way back to the city. They survived the increased number of undead there and made it to where their families lived. They survived even with the grief of knowing that both of their families were already dead. As long as they were together, as long as they had each other, the two of them could keep moving forward.


    ¡ª--


    The redhead¡¯s eyes fluttered open. Above her was the dark ceiling of her current earthen home. Evelyn slowly sat up and rolled her shoulders. She didn¡¯t have a bed, but that was fine with her.


    There was only so much to spare in terms of those kinds of accommodations, and she was used to rough sleeping conditions by now. Compared to the jagged flooring of a half-collapsed building, bare dirt was actually quite comfortable.


    Evelyn sighed as she glanced toward the open doorway of the structure. There was no door, but there didn¡¯t need to be one. After her recent private discussion with that Sam girl, her consciousness alone would be enough to keep her restricted to this small dirt hut.


    It felt like she¡¯d only been napping for a little while, but that was apparently enough to start dreaming. Something that made her thankful that she didn¡¯t need to sleep very often if she didn¡¯t want to. Because nowadays, it felt like her dreams weren¡¯t of imaginary things, but almost strictly memories of the recent past.


    In a way, Evelyn almost missed those early days of the Apocalypse. They weren¡¯t even a full two months ago, but it almost felt like an entire lifetime had already passed. But at least those initial few days had been straightforward. Just her and Reggy against a world recently turned upside down.


    She pursed her lips. Just where had things gone wrong? To lead to her eventually joining as a member of the Chosen Few? To then be blind to everything they were truly about, until the moment a blade was about to plunge into her body.


    And even now that she¡¯d left, her association with them was something that still had to be answered for. Evelyn hung her head low as she stared into the ground. Just where had things gone wrong, indeed.


    ¡ª--


    Jaco glanced over to his current companion as the two of them trekked their way through the countryside. At the moment, it was just him and Alex. The pair were currently making their way across the entire area surrounding the camp. Their mission was a rather simple one.


    Chances were that there were still some undead lurking around the general area. Leftovers from the horde that had left the camp, but then became idle for some reason. Even if they were just shambling across an open field, some undead would just stop in place.


    None of them knew the reason why, or if there even was one in particular. But it was a behavior that had to be accounted for. So even after cleaning the camp itself, a sweep around the area for any stragglers was also necessary.


    When the time had come to select some people to perform that mission, Alex had suddenly come in and volunteered himself for the job. Under normal circumstances, perhaps he would have been enough. As one of the strongest people of the camp, Alex was no slouch in terms of power. Even for the highest Leveled undead amongst the horde, the Skeleton Mages, he could probably take on if it was just one of them.


    Yet Jaco had been a bit concerned. Some time had passed since his talk with the teen. However, it was certainly not enough for him to be over the deaths of his team. There was simply no way he¡¯d have already finished grieving when it hadn¡¯t even been a full day as of yet. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    So as a bit of a precaution, Jaco had decided to come along as well. His assumption was that perhaps Alex was doing this as a form of distraction. Something simple to distract him from his current grief. And despite the morbid fact that all undead used to be people, Jaco had to admit that smashing Skeleton skulls made for a good, cathartic outlet.


    But despite assuming as much, he didn¡¯t bring it up to Alex. And nor did the teen say anything about the subject in turn. But that was his choice. If he wanted to talk about it while it was just the two of them, then Jaco would respect his decision to not do so yet.


    ¡°Hey Jaco, can I ask you something?¡± Alex then asked as they continued to walk together.


    ¡°Sure man, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯ve just been thinking. I know you said that you met a Guardian Angel, but is there anything else about her that you didn¡¯t mention earlier? It¡¯s just that I honestly can¡¯t wrap my head around it, you know what I mean?¡±


    Jaco slightly tilted his head to the side. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m pretty sure I described her with as much detail as I could remember. But what part do you have trouble wrapping your around, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Err, It¡¯s hard to put into words. I guess¡­¡± Alex fiddled with his sword as he seemingly struggled. ¡°I guess just the whole idea? Like I know that Heaven and Hell are real, that much is obvious after everything that¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Jaco agreed.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not like we¡¯ve seen any actual Demons yet, despite them claiming Earth. So I guess it¡¯s just hard for me to understand how an Angel suddenly appeared, here out of all places? Like with Heaven falling, they should practically be nearly extinct right?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, I think I get what you mean. And I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to say that it¡¯s fate that the Angel brought to the fort right as I infiltrated it. But that¡¯s just me being biased, since I don¡¯t like the idea of predetermined destiny,¡± Jaco said with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°But then otherwise, that would just be the biggest coincidence in the world, right? I know you said that you didn¡¯t see her Level and all. And that she just looked like a kid. But I don¡¯t know, something about it all just feels¡­ off? Like it¡¯s amazing, but also kinda weird. Sorry, I¡¯m not really even sure what I¡¯m saying anymore.¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re fine,¡± Jaco reassured him. But since he really didn¡¯t have a good explanation and then admitted as much, the conversation ended with that. So with the silence, both of them were just left with their own internal thoughts.


    To be honest, I don¡¯t disagree with him. When looked at it from an objective point of view, that entire encounter does feel odd. Like how her emotions were so muted right up until she revealed herself as an Angel. Or just everything else about that situation and her behavior as a whole. Too many questions, but with practically zero answers, Jaco thought to himself.


    After a while, Jaco noted the sound of some shambling off to their left. It seemed to be coming from the opposite side of a close by hill. From what he could tell, it sounded like some Skeletons and a Ghoul. Though from clinking of armor mixed in, a few of those Skeletons were likely Warriors.


    ¡°Some undead just across that hill, Alex.¡± Jaco then relayed what kinds he believed were in this group. ¡°Do you want my help with that, or do you think you could take care of it?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll be good. I can just clear out the riff raff and then deal with the Ghoul. If it¡¯s just one, it won¡¯t be a problem at all,¡± Alex said.


    Jaco nodded in agreement. Plus it just made more sense for the teen to get the kills himself anyway. Since Jaco was practically double the average Ghoul in Level, they gave practically no EXP to him. But for Alex, he could actually get some Experience Points even while still being a couple Levels higher than them now.


    Warrior (Human)


    Level: 27


    He¡¯d already reached Level 26 around the start of the invasion, and then reached 27 while cleaning up the undead in the camp. So it ideally wouldn¡¯t be that much longer until the teen received his Class Evolution.


    The two of them marched up the hill, and then looked down at the other side. There their eyes confirmed what had been picked up by the Druid¡¯s ears. One Ghoul, three Warriors, and about eight regular Skeletons. All of them seemed to be the uppermost of their respective Level ranges, so it should make for a decent haul of EXP.


    After giving Jaco a small nod, Alex stepped forward and pulled out a particular item. The Sheath of 100 Blades, gifted to him by the Druid a while before they left the camp. Since then, enough time had already passed for Alex to become attuned as its new owner. And with the recent destruction, there¡¯d been plenty of scrap metal to feed into the artifact.


    Jaco watched as the teen raised the sheath. He released a torrent of the needle-like blades at full power. The hailstorm of sharp metal rained down upon the unsuspecting undead. The basic Skeletons basically stood no chance as their skulls were skewered.


    These particular Warriors did have shields, which they managed to raise after just a moment. But that wasn¡¯t nearly enough as the shields just as quickly became a pincushion. And of course everything not protected was also pierced through as their legs gave out from under them.


    In just the time it took for Alex to put the sheath down after releasing its power, only one undead already remained. Though it was something that could survive being crushed under a boulder, even the Ghoul looked worse for wear. From head to toe, it was covered with needles both big and small. It tried to charge at Alex, though its movement was slowed by all the blades sticking out of almost every pore.


    Even as it was still charging straight toward him, the teen didn¡¯t seem considered. He cracked one side of his neck before raising his sword with both hands. Then with an arcing swing of his blade, his Minor Slash raced through the air. The pure cutting force sped right into and then through the undead.


    The Ghoul still tried to move toward him for just another second. But as it ran, its body suddenly fell apart into two cleanly halved sections. With a thud, both parts hit the ground as Alex turned away. As he walked back, Jaco gave him an approving nod.


    ¡°Good work, Alex. With that, it looks like we¡¯re about done here. Time to head back to the camp and¡­ wait.¡± Jaco came to a sudden stop. He looked into the distance and focused his gaze on several distant figures.


    ¡°What is it, is there something wrong?¡± Alex asked. He tried to squint to see what it was that Jaco was looking at.


    But it was clear that he couldn¡¯t see anything without sharing the Druid¡¯s enhanced eyesight. Since he mumbled as much under his breath. Which Jaco easily heard with his heightened hearing.


    As the group of figures approached, Jaco was soon able to make them out. But upon recognizing them, he blinked a few times with surprise.


    What are they doing outside the city? he asked himself. And just a moment later, he had a set of golden screens appear before him.


    Black Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 34


    Black Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 35


    Black Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 34


    Black Skeleton (Undead)


    Level: 36


    All of the Black Skeletons appeared to be around Level 35. But there was also a singular undead of a different type. One that Jaco initially assumed to be a Lesser Revenant. However, he just as quickly realized that his initial assumption wasn¡¯t completely accurate.


    Revenant (Undead)


    Level: 40


    Jaco quickly relayed what he saw to his companion.


    Alex¡¯s eyes were wide with alarm. ¡°Jaco, those undead are- why are they all the way out here?!¡± he asked, his voice filled with panic.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Stay back and just support me from afar however you can. I can handle them, but if possible, I¡¯d like you to get some of the Experience too. If we play our cards right, it might even be enough to help you reach Level 30 and get your Class Evolution. But if any of them even seems to be thinking about attacking you, you¡¯ll immediately make a run for it, alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ alright. I¡¯ll stand back here and use a Slash whenever I can,¡± Alex affirmed. Like a switch being flipped, the panic in the teen¡¯s gaze was replaced by a spark of determination.


    ¡°Okay then. No time to waste, so let¡¯s get to work. On my mark.¡± Jaco gripped his staff. He cracked one side of his neck as he stared down at the shambling undead. With one of them matching his Level, perhaps this¡¯ll be the fight that pushed his main Class to Level 41. Even with splitting some EXP with Alex, he was still hopeful for that to be the case.


    But there was only one way to fight out. So as Jaco marched toward the undead, he had already begun to channel Mana throughout his body.

 Chapter 55:

    Alex¡¯s jaw was tightly set. In the back of his mind, he already regretted using up the Sheath of 100 Blades. He¡¯d thought that it would be a good idea to test the artifact¡¯s full strength against the only decently strong group of undead they had encountered. But now seeing these absolute monsters somehow way outside their usual confines of the city, he truly wished he hadn¡¯t fully used it up yet.


    He watched as Jaco¡¯s back quickly grew smaller. Though he tried to keep up, Alex just couldn¡¯t match the Druid in running speed as he sped up. But perhaps it was more than just a raw difference in Agility. When Jaco had moved forward to meet the high-Level undead, there¡¯d been a shift in his expression.


    Before the appearance of these undead, Jaco had taken the role of a hands-off teacher. Somewhat protective, but largely removed to allow Alex to do all the fighting and earn the subsequent Experience. But as of a few moments ago, that had changed.


    His entire demeanor shifted. Upon seeing the monsters and looking at their Levels, Jaco¡¯s eyes had noticeably brightened. When he had just charged forward, it hadn¡¯t been out of a sense of duty. Not toward just protecting Alex nor the camp as a whole. But instead, he¡¯d seemed brimming with excitement. Even now from being, Alex could see the small grin that had formed on his face.


    Some people did feel proud about getting stronger. Others fought out of a sense of duty and simple desire to protect others. And then they were still those that simply weren¡¯t built for fighting. Of these groups, Alex fell into the first.


    Yet Jaco fell into a smaller class of his own. Of those that loved to fight for the sake of fighting. That felt pride and passion not just after getting the reward, but from the heat of the moment itself. While he¡¯d once criticized them for not getting too complacent by treating fighting like a game, it was clear that he enjoyed the adrenaline rush.


    But that did make sense. What kind of person Jaco was before the Apocalypse, Alex wasn¡¯t very sure. To be alone in the city for weeks at a time within the heart of danger, however, did require a certain kind of mentality. At least, when it came to doing so without going completely insane.


    That difference between them was made clear. As the Druid even further surged forward, the teen had already started to slow down in order to pace himself. There would only be a few more moments left until Jaco¡¯s running caught the attention of the undead. So it''d be from near his current spot that Alex would stay back and try to help from a distance.


    I just have to use Minor Slash whenever there¡¯s an opportunity. If I can¡¯t go into melee, then that¡¯s the only way I can help. It just has to be enough damage for the System to reward me with a shape of the Experience, he thought to himself.


    Then if it was enough for him to all the sooner reach his Class Evolution, then that¡¯d bring him closer to actually being able to more directly fight the next time this happened. His grip tight around his sword, Alex¡¯s body went tense as he readed himself.


    As he did so, Jaco¡¯s body shifted and changed. His form enlarged and morphed into that of a giant brown bear. It was then that the group of undead turned to see the bear quickly charging their way.


    Jaco seemingly just ignored the rest and went straight for the strongest one, the Revenant. Alex watched as before the bear could attack, a dark cloud surrounded the undead. At the same time, an inky pool suddenly appeared around its feet.


    Upon seeing the black liquid and gas, Alex¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. Just where had they come from? The Revenant hadn¡¯t made any movements or any other obvious indications that it was summoning something? It¡¯d just been a clear area one moment, and then filled with these two substances the next.


    Still unfettered, the large bear stood up on its hind legs before swiping down at the Revenant. But before his claws could tear off its head, the pool of ink-like liquid surged forward like a tidal wave. In the same moment, the dark cloud split off into dozens of chains that quickly began to wrap around the Druid.


    Jaco! Alex internally cried. The teen saw the kind of trouble he was now in. Because as Jaco was being assaulted by the gaseous chains and being hit by the liquid, the Black Skeletons were moving to attack him from all sides.


    Now was the time for Alex to help. To at least distract a few of them with a Slash or perhaps aim to cut through that cloud. But before he could even give his body the command to swing his blade, the situation just as quickly turned on a dime.


    The bear¡¯s chest suddenly inflated. It expanded out past what should have actually been physically possible. Then pointing its head directly toward the lines of chains, it released a booming roar. The roar was deafening, even from the distance where Alex was standing. As the cry echoed across the area, it had to be loud enough to be heard from the camp itself.


    From the pure, almost explosive force it wrought, the majority of chains were instantly blown away. Now free from them, Jaco brought his front paws down and slammed them into the ground. Multiple spikes of earth shot out all around him. Some blocked and attacked the Black Skeletons, while the rest disrupted the liquid currently slamming into his torso.


    Then before the Revenant''s substances or the Black Skeletons could recover, Jaco followed it up. His maw still wide open, a mass of flames shot and coiled around the Revenant. Before the fire reached it, however, a partial dome formed to protect it. The dual layers of inky gas and liquid shuddered under the ferocity of the fiery attack. But even so, they managed to hold and defend the undead on the other side.


    Before the fire breath could keep the pressure going, the Black Skeletons had moved to counter attack. Acting at the same time, they collectively rushed to attack Jaco from the back and sides. Yet Alex watched with amazement as the moment before impact, a tortoise shell appeared on the bear¡¯s back. The incoming strikes only seemed to graze the shell as they almost harmlessly clawed its surface.


    Jaco then ceased his fire breath. And the moment he did so, the Revenant quickly reacted. Its gas and liquid remained joined together as a singular substance. But while floating in the air, they reshaped into a cone. One that, at least from Alex¡¯s perspective, seemed to be spinning at a high rate.


    A couple of seconds later, the dark cone flew toward the bear. And rather than try to also just tank through this attack, Jaco¡¯s form quickly shrunk down. Where his upper body was just a moment ago was just open air. A hawk shot away, nimbly dodging the Black Skeletons that then tried to reach for it.


    This is just¡­ wow, he thought to himself. Even if the teen became much stronger than he currently was now, he still couldn¡¯t quite imagine himself performing the same way. Jaco had already been ahead of the curve as a Druid. Yet even with his own future Class Evolution, would the powers and then Levels gained afterward really be enough to close that kind of gap?


    But despite how awe inspiring the battle was, it also presented a problem for Alex.


    There just simply wasn¡¯t an opening for him to attack. Even though it remained fairly still, dealing damage to the Level 40 Revenant would be nigh impossible for him. Just getting through the automatically moving gas and liquid was already likely more than what his Ability could handle.


    In that case, he wanted to at least land a Slash on the Black Skeletons. But even for them, he couldn¡¯t find an opportunity. Though his Ability moved quickly through the air, they were clearly quicker. The moment Alex sent one out, he already knew that they¡¯d be long gone before the attack arrived.


    Alex found himself grimacing with frustration. All he wanted was just a moment, a chance to actually do something. Anything.


    A part of him was tempted to just spam out Slash after Slash in the hopes that at least one of them would land. But the rational part of his mind was still able to recognize how poor of an idea that¡¯d be.


    That the most likely scenario was that they¡¯d all just miss anyway. Yet even worse, there was also the possibility of a Slash hitting Jaco. Even if it probably wouldn¡¯t really hurt the Druid, it could still make things worse as a sudden distraction.


    ¡ª--


    Jaco¡¯s heart was racing within his chest. He hadn¡¯t expected such foes to appear while on what should have been a fairly casual stroll around. Especially not the Level 40 Revenant, which was obviously a superior variant of the Lesser Revenants he¡¯d fought before. And not only was it a new kind of monster, it also had a new power as well.


    Along with the gaseous substance that the Lesser versions manipulated, it also controlled a liquid. During the battle so far, he¡¯d already tried to see if it could be influenced by his Elemental Offense Ability. Unfortunately, the answer was very apparently a no for that question. Unlike actual elements, the stuff controlled by the Revenant didn¡¯t even appear on the radar for that part of his senses.


    The Druid considered how he wanted things to play out. While still in thought, he dodged an attempt by the gas to restrain him. Sadly for the undead, there was simply no world where they could match the speed and reaction time of his hawk form with the fly aspect. Perhaps for starters, he could simply fight while staying in this current shape.


    Hmm. Yeah, that might be a good idea. Both that gas and liquid can only move so quickly, after all. So let¡¯s give that a try and see if I can¡¯t just wear it down.


    The most costly part of a full transformation was the initial activation. So while it¡¯d still be draining to repeatedly use the hawk¡¯s Temporary Abilities, just maintaining these forms was a low cost in itself. So just staying like this to make use of his superior Agility didn¡¯t seem like a bad plan.


    Yet the plan quickly went awry. The Druid would swoop around and try to get around the liquid and gas and claw at the Revenant. But in each attempt, before his strike actually landed, the protective substances would be back in his way. He tried to throw out a few elemental attacks first to either distract or destroy parts of each one. However, even then, that still proved to not be enough.


    It wasn¡¯t just a matter of being fast enough. When it came to defense, the dark liquid and gas were practically automatic in their behavior. It¡¯d been something similar when it came to the Lesser Revenants. But with this more powerful one, that concept had clearly been kicked up a notch.


    Well shit, this already isn¡¯t going nearly as well as I hoped. Alright, screw it. Time for a change in plans, he thought to himself.


    Jaco had an idea for what at least part of the current issue was. And while it was partially due to the substances automatically defending the Revenant, that wasn¡¯t the only thing. At the same time, he had to always be aware of the Black Skeletons and mindfully dodge their attacks. While he¡¯d gotten pretty good at multitasking different opponents in a fight, they still ate up quite a bit of his focus. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    So the Black Skeletons would have to go. Rather than disregard them as weaker enemies to be taken care of later, his priorities would need to be reversed. Then once they were taken care of, he could give his full attention to the Revenant.


    With a few beats of his wings, Jaco soared higher up by a few dozen feet. His intention was to blast the undead with a torrent of winds to pin them down. And then like those in the fortress, finish them off with a powerful attack.


    As he flew higher, the Black Skeletons gathered directly underneath him. Then before he could put his plan into action, a sideways arc of pure force slammed into one of the undead from behind. Jaco glanced over to the source of the attack, and confirmed that it¡¯d been Alex taking his chance to fire a Slash.


    Yet when he then glanced back down, his wing beats faltered. Rather than keeping its attention on, the Black Skeleton that got hit was now turned toward Alex¡¯s direction. The Slash should have barely been enough to leave even a small chip in its bones. But even so, even that little amount of damage had grabbed its attention.


    And just a split-second later, it charged at Alex with its full speed. Jaco internally cursed as he turned on a dime to follow right after it. With a flap of his wings, a wave of forceful wind was blasted toward the undead. It slammed into it and made it stumble. But the undead just stabilized and immediately continued its trajected path.


    Oh come on! You¡¯re supposed to be mindless! So just look at me again, you son of a bitch! Jaco internally complained.


    Alex, to his credit, immediately disengaged upon seeing the incoming Black Skeleton. The teen had already turned his back and started to flee. He quickly ran as quickly as he could to try and get out of sight.


    With a few more wind blasts to give the teen more time, the Black Skeleton¡¯s focus finally switched again. Mentally, Jaco breathed out a sigh of relief.


    He glared at the undead and swooped down to attack it. As he dived, his talons cracked with blue electricity as Talons of the Tempest went into effect. His claws stretched out and were aimed right for its skull.


    This Black Skeleton was one of the slightly weaker ones at Level 34. So with the gap between him and it, it was easy for Jaco to tear it up while it was still alone. After his talons tore apart its skull, it then fell apart and collapsed against the ground.


    EXP Earned!


    He¡¯d gotten a bit panicked when it had made a run for it to attack Alex. But the teen had managed to disengage and followed the plan.


    Something which Jaco internally approved of. Because while it was one thing to make a plan, executing could easily fall apart in a moment of panic. So now that Alex was out of immediate danger, Jaco was again able to give his full attention to the rest of the undead.


    As he¡¯d given chase to the one Black Skeleton, the others had tried to chase him in turn. The Revenant was also moving to catch up to him. But it, notably, was going a fair bit slower. Seeing the opportunity presented before him, Jaco wasn¡¯t one to waste it. While the two types of undead were separated, he¡¯d quickly dispatch the weaker ones.


    Flexing his talons as they still crackled with power, the Druid rapidly set out to do just that. And with his prior experience on how to deal with them and the current Level gap in his favor, he made short work of them.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    Notifications appeared one after another as Jaco began to take them down. But then upon the defeat of the second to last Black Skeleton, a different gold screen accompanied it.


    EXP Earned!


    Level Up!


    Level 40 to Level 41


    Jaco¡¯s hawk mouth slightly opened. It was close to a grin as this form would get. He hadn¡¯t expected to reach Level 41 from the Black Skeletons, but it was a welcome surprise. It seemed that after killing the three Chosen and however much extra EXP he got from the Minotaur, he¡¯d been rather close to the next threshold.


    The final Black Skeleton was one of the stronger ones at Level 36. Between it and the Revenant, what were the chances that could push him up by one more Level? The System¡¯s rules for Experience when it came to a difference between Levels still felt a bit weird at times.


    Like how he¡¯d only gotten a couple Levels from slaying the Minotaur, despite the massive gap that¡¯d been between them. Something which would have been expected from a monster maybe about five Levels above him. Yet definitely not from one that was so much higher of a difference than that. But in any case, just the possibility was already enough to give him a second wind of excitement.


    EXP Earned!


    He then just as quickly killed the last of the Black Skeletons. And with that, only two beings remained in this battle. Him, and the Revenant. The two stared each other down for just a split-second, but then Jaco was the first one to act.


    The hawk dived for the undead, intending to finish what he started earlier. Now that the distractions were taken care of, he believed that he could potentially outmaneuver its defenses now.


    His talons swiped at the left side of its skull. But then the inky liquid shot up as a pillar and forced him to back off. He rapidly blasted some wind at its chest and swooped around to strike from a different angle. But as the liquid blocked the wind, the gas still managed to get in the way of his claws.


    He kept trying for a bit longer. Yet it was soon clear the same story as before was once again playing itself out. Now feeling a bit frustrated, he decided to move away from speed and back to raw power.


    Jaco¡¯s body grew in size as he shifted back into his bear form. He attempted to slam into the Revenant. But the moment he did so, the liquid gathered around its feet and carried it away. And at the same time, the miasma turned back into dozens of chains that began to swarm him. Yet with another use of Fearsome Roar, he blasted away the chains and chased after his prey.


    A game of cat and mouse then ensued. Where unfortunately, he was just a much slower cat. Even when making sure his slotted aspect was that of the fly, the added reaction time just couldn¡¯t help. The other partial transformations didn¡¯t help either, when he tried them out to make sure.


    So in his hawk form, he couldn¡¯t overwhelm the undead¡¯s defenses. And as a bear, he simply lacked the speed needed to capitalize on tearing through them and creating an opening. Jaco was in a pickle. But for more than just that.


    Because every time the Revenant condensed the black liquid into a shape that it then attacked with, Jaco had been forced to dodge. Each time, his gut instincts screamed that even trying to just tank it would be a horrible idea. Even with the hardened flesh of Primal Ferocity to add more defense, that¡¯d remained the case.


    The gaseous chains had been both searing hot and freezing cold, and extremely painful as a result. Considering that it was only with this stronger Revenant and not the Lesser ones, he assumed that the liquid would be even more painful. Which would be why his instincts so loudly warned him to not get hit while it was fully condensed as a real attack.


    I could potentially try to just go back to my human form and give up on the shapeshifting. If I instead just rely on my Elemental Ability to do lots of heavy damage, then that might work. Hmm, just how much Mana would I need to spend to finally overwhelm it, though? he asked himself.


    Jaco considered his options. There were still some cards being left on the table. The first was utilizing the Abilities from his Secondary Class. But he quickly dismissed them. Against a Ghoul, they¡¯d only done a bit of damage. So against this thing, their effects would likely be negligible at best. While using them would siphon some EXP toward his Secondary Class, it simply wasn¡¯t practical in terms of the Mana spent.


    Especially not while his Druid Class could also immediately use the Experience bump. That¡¯d give its Abilities a further edge against the Chosen Few¡¯s leader, since it seemed that one¡¯s Level was a factor in their Abilities'' power. How exactly it worked while also relating to Spell Power and Stats, he wasn¡¯t sure. But just the difference in their efficacy between his two Classes suggested that idea.


    His second idea went toward what was still inside his Bag of Holding. At any point, he could always rely on the Hell Potions and Elixirs he still had. But Jaco quickly dismissed that too.


    While the Revenant was tough, it was still a monster at his Level. He could definitely find a way to beat it without using up those precious consumables. They were better suited for future foes that were actually above him in Level and couldn¡¯t feasibly be beaten without their use.


    Then for his Druid Abilities, there was the third unused card. The new Ability upon reaching Level 40, Manifestation of the Wild Elemental.


    Now while test driving a new power in the middle of a tough battle seemed like a bad idea, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time. And it had always worked out for him in the past. So why would now be any different? To that end, he decided to just go ahead and try it.


    Jaco focused on the Ability. Then in an instant, visions flooded inside his mind. He was the incarnation of fire that could burn through anything. The earth that could withstand even the biggest levels of damage. The winds that could sail across the entire planet. The water that could eventually erode all things.


    In a moment, he knew which one to select first. Still in his bear form, Jaco¡¯s body underwent a change. His flesh still had a stone-like texture from the mountain reinforcement of Primal Ferocity. But stone-like was not the same as actual stone. With that Ability, it hadn¡¯t meant that his body was under the influence of being controlled like the actual element.


    Now, however, even the smallest strands of fur turned into rock. This wasn¡¯t just a layer that protected him, but the real thing. He sensed that even the inside of his body had turned into rock.  At the same time, the effect of Minor Primal Ferocity was still mixed in. Jaco quickly realized that the two Abilities stacked with one another.


    He¡¯d already used up a good amount of Mana by switching animal forms a few times. Then between maintaining Primal Ferocity and now this Ability, his Mana pool was suffering for it. He¡¯d only be able to sustain this current state for a short amount of time. But in the back of his mind, he already understood that it¡¯d be enough.


    Now a kindred part of the very earth beneath his feet, Jaco willingly used Lesser Elemental Offense on himself. As if he were just another boulder to be thrown, he waved a heavy paw and flung himself forward.


    The Revenant quickly formed the dual barrier to protect itself. Yet even as the Druid was moments away from slamming into it, his gut instincts remained quiet. Trusting in that fact, he waved again to further accelerate his momentum.


    With a thunderous crash, he smashed straight into the undead¡¯s protection. The entire thing quivered under the weight of his impact. Then just a moment later, its integrity failed as it was forced aside.


    The liquid attempted to reform around the Revenant to pull it away. But Jaco raised his paw, his claws ready to slash. And when he brought it down, he did so with both his own natural force and the full power of Elemental Offense to push it even further.


    The stone claws tore right through the last second defenses that tried to get in a way. And before it was fully able to escape, they cleaved through the front half of the undead¡¯s head. But would just the front half be enough?


    Just for good measure, Jaco quickly reacted. Then activating Wrathful Claws before his swing finished, the claws suddenly grew longer. So while partway through the skull, they went all through it for the rest of his mighty swipe.


    EXP Earned!


    Level Up!


    Level 41 to Level 42


    Jaco¡¯s eyes instantly brightened. With that golden screen, he had earned his reward. As the stone returned to flesh that was shrinking back down into a human body, the young man grinned.


    It had a very high Mana cost associated with it. One that would make any kind of sustained usage unlikely. But he was now sure that Manifestation of the Wild Elemental would be a worthy addition to his regular arsenal.


    From off to the side, he heard footsteps approaching. Jaco turned and saw Alex making his way toward him. The teen¡¯s eyes were wide as he looked between all the slain undead scattered around.


    ¡°Holy crap, you really did it. I only saw the very end, but was that some kind of new Ability you used?¡± Alex asked.


    Jaco nodded, a satisfied grin still on his face. ¡°Yep, Manifestation of the Wild Elemental. Got it right when I reached Level 40, just haven¡¯t gotten around to trying it out until now. Pretty awesome though, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say. Just makes me wish I already got to my Class Evolution too. If I could get a new Ability that¡¯s anything like that¡­¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°You¡¯re almost there,¡± Jaco said as he patted the teen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I got two whole Levels from that fight.¡±


    Alex rapidly blinked. ¡°Woah, really? So you¡¯re already Level 42?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. So if we end up seeing more strong undead around, you should also see a spike in your Levels sooner than later. As long as they¡¯re actually closer to your current Level, anyway. But come on, it¡¯s time for us to actually head back to the camp and let them know what happened,¡± Jaco suggested.


    The teen quickly nodded in affirmation. Though the wonder on his face made it clear that he was still ready for more action. That was something Jaco definitely could relate to. But for now, they needed to return and talk to Noah.

 Chapter 56:

    ¡°Noah, I think it¡¯s time that we begin looking at restocking our supply of traps. A lot of them were used up or just destroyed in the last attack, but we still have several that we simply didn¡¯t have time to deploy. Since Jaco saved us a lot of time by rebuilding the wall by himself, I think this should be our current priority,¡± Sam said.


    There were currently three people inside of Noah¡¯s tent for this discussion. It normally would have just been a meeting between Noah and herself, with them calling in people later for opinions after they put together the initial plans. Though today, things were a bit different.


    At Noah¡¯s behest, the third person currently present had been invited. The person in question was Evelyn. However, over the course of time that had already passed, the redhead had chosen not to say much. Instead she¡¯d spent the time so far a bit off to the side and quietly watching their discussion.


    ¡°Mmm, I agree. The Chosen Few didn¡¯t exactly give us a date for when they would attack again, but it¡¯ll likely be sooner than later. I would prefer if we had more time to study the artifacts they left behind and see if we could somehow replicate their effects,¡± Noah said as he looked at the pair of daggers on the table. He then pulled out a pair of metal vials and placed them down too.


    ¡°Right, but as far as we know, they could come back at any point. Whether that be tomorrow, the day after, or even just later today. So it¡¯d be better to just rebuild the ones we already know how to make, rather than try to make new designs from scratch.¡± Sam then glanced down at the artifacts now placed together on Noah¡¯s table.


    The Twin Daggers of Blinking had been given to them by Jaco. As far as their limited knowledge of these artifacts went, the ability to teleport around seemed rather powerful. But as of the current moment, they were still deciding who¡¯d actually have the privilege and responsibility of wielding the daggers.


    Additionally they were given a pair of Potions, one of Healing and another of Mana. Before the attack, Noah had actually been the one to already find a single Potion of Healing.


    Though that one in particular was quickly used up. As part of it had gone to Evelyn for an internal injury that she¡¯d apparently been dealing with beforehand. While the rest was spread to others who had needed it the most during the battle.


    ¡°At the same time,¡± Sam started. ¡°Maybe we could have at least one person try to replicate the effects of the Potion of Healing? Our own healing gel can only do so much and hasn¡¯t seen much improvement recently.¡±


    Noah rubbed his chin. ¡°Even just sparing one of our stronger Mages would mean that many less traps that can be made, however. Especially considering that a few of them are either still missing or lost their lives.¡±


    ¡°I think it could be worth it, though. If we could replicate even a fraction of this Potion of Healing¡¯s effect, it has the potential to save many lives in the fighting to come. Plus I don¡¯t think our numbers are that bad when it comes to Mages. Like how many do you think got quite a bit stronger just from fighting off the horde?¡± Sam asked.


    ¡°Hmm, we still don¡¯t have exact numbers for everyone¡¯s updated Levels. And we probably won¡¯t for a little while since that¡¯s not our biggest priority right now. But let¡¯s see here, if I had to make a guess? I imagine that those who started at Level 15 and continually fought on the frontlines are likely around Level 20 by now.¡±


    ¡°That sounds about right. At least from what I¡¯ve seen so far,¡± Sam agreed.


    It just made sense that the horde brought a boost of Levels to the non-elites that had done the most the most fighting. Especially the Warriors and Mages, since their Abilities were capable of hitting multiple targets at a time.  So for those that had kept fighting at the front as much as their Mana allowed it, they had seen a spike in strength as a result.


    Unfortunately, such a boon was countered by the numbers of those that had fallen. That went for their regular fighters that had simply been overwhelmed. But also for their elites, like the members in Alex¡¯s team that were killed by the trio of Chosen upon their arrival.


    ¡°Well¡­ alright then,¡± Noah said after a few moments of consideration. ¡°First, let¡¯s make a quick list of every Mage that¡¯s now Level 20 or higher. We¡¯ll then group the majority of them with those that made the traps before, and have them take a crash course on learning how to make it. Then take the few left, however many you think is fair, and have them work on experimenting with the healing gel and this Potion of Healing.¡±


    Noah pushed the vial forward, which Sam then grabbed and pocketed. ¡°I can do that. In the meantime, I think those with high Strength could do some work on the wall. Jaco left us a good base, but I believe it could be improved upon further.  Perhaps we fortify it in a similar way that a medieval city would to fend off sieges?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely familiar with how to actually apply that sort of thing. But I can ask around to see if any of our members happen to have more in-depth knowledge on the subject. So I¡¯ll have to get back to you on that,¡± Noah replied.


    With that, the two of them continued to talk strategy. They discussed other potential ideas for improving the camp¡¯s defenses. Their primary focus was on methods for countering the sheer numbers of another large horde of undead. Though in addition, another larger concern was for how to deal with smaller but far more potent numbers. Specifically, the high Level individuals of the Chosen Few.


    The problem was that there was so much they could actually think of. Just what do you do to defend against someone that could either leap over any obstacle or simply just bust right through it? At the present time, their only real idea was to utilize a concentrated amount of traps in key locations.


    If they could lure a member of the Chosen Few to a spot with several hidden traps stacked right on top of each other, then it could prove effective. However, then the question went to how they should actually lure them over in a way that would actually work. Yet as they tried to brainstorm the answer to that question, a voice came from directly outside the front of the tent. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Noah? Sam? Heard that you guys are in here. Hopefully not interrupting anything important, but Jaco and I are back,¡± Alex called out.


    Oh, they¡¯re back already? That was faster than expected, Sam thought to herself. A moment later, the flap of the tent was pulled open for two men to step inside.


    ¡°Welcome back. No worries, you guys aren¡¯t inter-¡± Sam stopped mid-sentence as her eyes widened.


    The first one to step inside was Jaco. His armor was stained with some kind of strange, dark substance. But more importantly was his face, as it was covered by numerous lacerations in the pattern of chains. Then behind him was Alex. While the teen didn¡¯t seem injured, he was visibly slick with sweat and his own armor was covered in dirt.


    ¡°Wh- what happened out there!?¡± she asked.


    ¡ª--


    Now sat down, Jaco dabbed his face with a bit of the camp¡¯s stock of healing gel. On one hand, he appreciated the gesture of it quickly being brought over for him to use. Even though he knew that his Endurance would naturally fix things up soon enough anyway.


    On the other hand, the minor injuries he had sustained from his fight with the Revenant hadn¡¯t really been noticeable at first. But as the two of them were walking back to the camp, they had started to itch something fierce. So being able to rub the cool gel against his skin actually was quite nice and soothing.


    But as he¡¯d been doing so, Jaco had recounted what just happened. ¡°So yeah. I don¡¯t know if it was just some freak, one off occurrence. Or if really high Level undead just deciding to wander out the city entirely is something we¡¯ll actually have to worry about now.¡±


    Jaco looked as Noah and Sam appeared to be understandably stressed about the recounted event. The leader of the camp was massaging his temples, as Sam chewed on the nail of her thumb. After a few moments passed, Noah deeply sighed and leaned back into his seat.


    ¡°Well¡­ shit. Any chance that you think this was just some weird fluke?¡± Noah asked.


    ¡°Maybe it was due to the Chosen?¡± Sam began to suggest. ¡°Undead tend to get pulled toward hordes. So perhaps these undead happened to be close by as it was being gathered, and were just lagging behind and only reached us now?¡±


    Slightly raising one hand up from her cross arms, Evelyn piped in. ¡°Highly doubtful. I¡¯ve only ever once encountered a Lesser Revenant in the inner city. A Level 40 Revenant would have to be so far in, that there¡¯s no way it would be anywhere near where the weaker undead of that horde were located.¡±


    Everyone glanced over to the redhead for the moment. With her being quiet and keeping close to the corner up until now, her actually saying something had come as a mild surprise. But they recovered quickly enough as they reconsidered the more pressing matter on hand.


    ¡°In that case,¡± Noah began as he worriedly rubbed his chin. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be prudent for us to assume the worst. Maybe we only got lucky until now that the truly powerful monsters only kept to the innermost section of the city. Or perhaps this is a result of the progressing stages of the apocalypse. We do not know¡ª actually¡­ Jaco?¡± he suddenly looked up and glanced over at the Druid.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You said before that the Minotaur was the highest Level monster you¡¯ve encountered. By a good margin too, right?¡± Noah asked.


    Jaco nodded in affirment. ¡°That¡¯s right. The second highest were the Taurlings I saw right before I was teleported away. Though they were in the low 40s, so there was a pretty big gap between them and the Minotaur at Level 50, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. In the first stage of the Apocalypse, there were several reports of the Minotaur being sighted all around the city. Where it was often leading groups of undead either directly toward the inner or outer areas. To the point where, at least initially, we assumed there was more than one Minotaur.¡±


    Alex slightly tilted his head. ¡°Wait, if I¡¯m understanding you correctly, you¡¯re saying there really was just the one this whole time?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying. Think about it. In the first stage, the strongest monsters congregated around the Gates of Hell in the crater. Which then became the foundation of the fortress after the second stage. Yet even between these two points, what kind of behavior did the Minotaur display?¡± Noah asked, addressing everyone in the room as he looked between them.


    Jaco placed his hand under his chin. ¡°The Minotaur acted as a leader to all the mindless undead. It raised the stronger ones, I¡¯ve even seen it do so myself for some Lesser Revenants. But then it leads them around. And more than just blindly follow it around, the undead actually listen to it like when they were left behind as guards inside the fortress.¡±


    ¡°I think I get it.¡± Sam crossed her arms as she continued. ¡°The Minotaur organized the rest of the monsters. To the point where, for one reason or another, it was keeping the strongest ones close to the fort. But now that it¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    ¡°Those undead are now like rabid dogs with their leashes cut, so to speak,¡± Noah finished.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t those Taurlings Jaco saw also Demidemons, just like the Minotaur? Wouldn¡¯t they be able to exert control too?¡± Alex asked with a frown.


    ¡°Maybe. But if that was the case, you¡¯d think they would have also been seen raising and leading the undead at least once. If they were capable of it, you¡¯d think the Minotaur would have had them be like underlings that do all the groundwork. Instead it was the one doing it all on its own,¡± Jaco offered.


    ¡°Right,¡± Noah said with a small nod to the Druid. ¡°Granted, I will admit that this is purely just speculation that could always be proven wrong. But for the time being, I believe it¡¯s safer to assume that the Minotaur was the sole leader of the monsters within the city. And now that it¡¯s dead, we should be prepared to see more instances of powerful undead wandering out and occasionally going toward our location.¡±


    Sam chewed her lower lip. ¡°That will be an extreme source of danger. Especially toward our scavengers that will effectively have to ditch the old guidelines of which areas are relatively safe. And there¡¯s simply no way we can handle anything near Level 40 like that Revenant.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have me. Now that I¡¯m Level 42, I¡¯m basically just as strong as even those Taurlings. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything between them and the Minotaur that would be in the mid or high 40s. But if there isn¡¯t, I can confidently handle anything that the city throws at us,¡± Jaco tried to reassure her.


    ¡°I appreciate the thought, Jaco. But you won¡¯t always be here or everywhere at once. Like if you head into the city, then the camp will effectively be undefended from these powerful monsters. But if you just stay here, we can¡¯t confidently send people into the city knowing that you¡¯ll be there to act as a safety net against the unexpected,¡± Noah said.


    ¡°I mean, fair enough. But even so¡­¡± Jaco trailed off as the camp¡¯s leader started to shake his head.


    ¡°Before the Chosen attacked, we had only recently made an effort to raise the average Level of our people. Doing so likely saved many lives, yet it also clearly wasn¡¯t enough. With greater threats appearing by the day, what needs to happen is clear.¡± Noah paused to take a breath. Everyone remained silent as they waited for him to continue.


    ¡°It¡¯s simply not sustainable in the long run for people to just rely on the elite. As a collective, we should put a renewed focus on getting stronger. And that will apply to everyone within the camp that¡¯s capable of fighting.¡±

 Chapter 57:

    Earth. The world that was occupied by and acted as a home to humanity. Once a planet full of life and beauty, was now devastated following the advent of the Apocalypse.


    It wasn¡¯t long ago that the skies were filled with blue and acted as a canvas for clouds to become fleeting works of art. And above it, the tapestry that was the universe as any of the planet¡¯s denizens could look up and be awestruck by the uncountable stars.


    But for humanity, such sights were now relics of the past. Things that many would likely never see again as they lost their lives to the sheer violence of their changed world. Then even for those that did survive, the stagnant blanket of Hellish clouds was the only thing that greeted them as they looked up.


    For most that did try to get past the orange-red clouds, the attempt would be filled with high levels of danger. But for the one currently soaring through these clouds, these dangers were of no consequence. Staring down at the world below, a girl sighed as she observed the swathes of destruction.


    When Hell began their invasion, they had focused on one thing. To wipe out as many humans as possible within the initial attack. So to that end, their explosions had targeted the areas with the highest population density. This had resulted in an uneven distribution of destruction. Where parts of the world with less people or a more spread out population were relatively better off. At least, that was true when it just came to the numbers that died in the blasts.


    The part of the world the girl was currently looking at was the nation known as Japan. Of the places that were hit the hardest from the start, Tokyo was especially high on that list. Even worse was the fact that it was a country made out of several islands.


    It was bad enough for a highly dense city to be caught in the epicenter of a large blast. It was even worse when the survivors were trapped on an island with the many undead that rose shortly after. And with the Apocalypse, Hell also used its wicked sorcery to ruin the technology of man. Something which meant that all modern boats were rendered useless and unable to be used as vessels to escape with .


    Shaking her head, the girl once more took to the skies and moved on. She went around and bore witness to the ruins of humanity¡¯s greatest wonders. The Great Wall of China crawled with undead. Egypt¡¯s Great Pyramid of Giza was naught but a pile of rubble after being blown away in the initial explosions.


    This was the state of the world. Crumbling cities with the Gates of Hell within them. Humanity gradually being pushed further and further into the countryside. Trying to rely on the wilderness to survive, only to find that nature¡¯s bounty was quickly wilting between their very fingers. Such was the change in the climate itself that came with the Apocalypse.


    The girl crossed the oceans and came to a different section of the place. But as she flew, she stared at the sky. But what she tried to look at wasn¡¯t the clouds, nor was it the cosmos above the top of the world. Instead, her gaze tried to search for something even further beyond.


    ¡°Oh Creator, the damage is even worse than we expected. As Heaven fell, the remaining Seraphim knew that humanity would suffer, yes. But there is just so much death, so much destruction, so much suffering. Even with the aid of the System, the loss of life has still surpassed even our most worried expectations,¡± the Angel spoke aloud as she continued.


    ¡°I can only wonder if Hell was already prepared for this invasion for some time. If their machinations were greater than we gave them credit for. I do not know for how long they expected victory and readied such resources for an incursion of this scale against Earth. But it seems that the widespread destruction speaks for itself in this regard.¡±


    ¡°Oh Creator, is it Heaven¡¯s sin that the System has only been able to do so much? That it is inherently flawed and imperfect? Yet how could it have been anything but filled with flaws in its design?  It was Heaven¡¯s first, and last, act of creation without the grace of your perfect guidance? Is it truly our fault that it couldn¡¯t have been better, even as it was desperately made while our home was actively razed?¡± she asked.


    The Angel continued to stare far, far into the distance. But after a little while passed, she eventually sighed. As she flew through the sky, her wings felt heavy and tired. Yet ever since the fall of Heaven, that was simply how they now felt at all times.


    ¡°I¡­ I fear for the fate of these children. Even in such dire circumstances, many still struggle to carve a potential future for themselves. Then there are those that go further beyond mere survival. Those few humans who, for better or worse, have found themselves thriving within the Apocalypse. Yet for even these individuals, I am afraid that they may still not yet be ready for what will come next,¡± the Angel said aloud. ¡°Though some time has passed, the Apocalypse is not finished. If humanity believes that this is currently Hell on Earth, then they do not know what Hell is truly like.¡±


    The Angel flapped her wings as the water of the oceans once again gave way to land. For several seconds, she was silent as his lips became pursed. For that time, she hesitated. The Angel wasn¡¯t quite sure if she wanted to speak her next thoughts aloud, but then decided to do so anyway.


    ¡°I fear, however, that they may soon have the misfortune of experiencing this distinction for themselves. I already know within my very being that the worst of the Apocalypse has yet to come. That this is still just the advent of its true horrors. ¡±


    As the Angel spoke, the winds of change had already begun to below. For an encampment of survivors near a certain city, they had already begun to experience this change. Because while the Angel continued to fly through the air, a storm had started to brew near the camp.


    ¡ª--


    Jaco felt it before he saw the cause. There was a sudden change in the air and its humidity. And while he was more sensitive to this shift thanks to his elementally attuned senses, they weren¡¯t actually necessary. No, after about two months of the weather being dry and the area covered in the ashes from the explosion, everyone could easily feel what was happening now.


    And so it was that the people of the camp quickly began to gather outside. They all looked up to see what was steadily rolling in from the distant horizon. While it still had a tinge of the orange-red coloring of the rest of the clouds, the stark difference was unmistakable. It was a blanket of dark storm clouds.


    ¡°Holy shit! It¡¯s actually going to rain!¡± one man cried out.


    ¡°Buckets, or actually, barrels! Do we have any barrels to collect the rainwater?!¡± another loudly asked.


    Hearing his familiar steps, Jaco turned to see Alex approaching him from behind. As the teen also stared at the approaching clouds, his expression twisted downward into a deep frown. Alex¡¯s eyes were narrowed with clear distrust. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°What are the chances that these are actually just rain clouds? And that it¡¯s not the Apocalypse sending us an extreme version of acid rain or something?¡± Alex asked as he stopped beside the Druid.


    Jaco shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. I think my instincts would tell me if anything like that was the case. But my gut isn¡¯t reacting to those clouds as anything dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I see,¡± Alex simply replied. Though from how his gaze was still affixed to the coming stormfront, he wasn¡¯t so easily able to let his guard down.


    Jaco then watched as Sam rushed out and stood on a pedestal to raise herself above the crowd. She quickly began to gesture at different people and streamed out commands to snap them out of their dazes.


    ¡°We likely only have a few minutes before it gets here! You five, gather anything that can be used to collect rainwater! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a barrel or crate with stuff inside it! If it¡¯s not food or anything important, then just dump it out! And then you, you, you, and you! Gather rolls of plastic or anything else we still have in storage that¡¯s hydrophobic! Jaco!¡± Apparently having already noticed the Druid, she then pointed at him.


    ¡°I want you to go to the west side of the camp and dig as many holes as you can fit. These guys will be layering their insides with sheets! So I¡¯ll ask that you keep that in mind when making them, please!¡± Sam asked.


    Giving her an affirmative nod, Jaco turned and hurried over to the western perimeter. To be most efficient with the space provided, he assumed that it¡¯d be better to make the holes deeper rather than wider. Luckily, it was a rather trivial task for his Ability to manipulate the earth. Compared to constructing the wall and a bunch of buildings, digging out several similarly sized holes was easy.


    Jaco ended up making a few dozen of them in total. And by the time he was finished with the last one, the people meant to bring the lining material hadn¡¯t even come over yet. But since his part was now done, he went ahead and made his way back to the crowd.


    As he moved, there was a sudden flash of light. Blue lightning arced through the ever closer storm clouds.


    One Mississippi, two Mississippi, Jaco began to mentally count. Thirteen Mississippi, fourteen Mississippi, fifth-


    But then there was the boom of thunder. Assuming the old rule of thumb still applied in the Apocalypse, there was only a bit under three miles left until the storm arrived. And soon enough after Jaco rejoined the crowd of onlookers, the first drops of rain fell from the sky.


    It was unknown what the weather had been like for the rest of the world. But for them, it marked the first rainstorm in the two months since the Apocalypse started. And as the storm was directly above them, it largely obscured the orange-red clouds they had gotten used to. For a few precious moments, it almost felt like a sense of the old normal had finally returned to their lives.


    Removing his gloves, Jaco held up both of his hands and titled his head back. The young man just closed his eyes and basked in the rain. Yet even with his eyes closed, his magical senses were still in full drive. In a sphere around himself, he could feel each drop of rain as they came down. Even as they were mid-air, he could already tell which ones would hit the ground and which drops would hit his skin.


    For those that hit the ground, he could still feel them as they were soaked into the earth. Of how the thirsty soil greedily drank in as much water as it could. In the back of his mind, Jaco felt delighted for more than just the rain itself. But of how it would open up a new possibility of getting to try out something with his Abilities.


    He hoped that there would be enough rain to fully saturate the dirt, and create plenty of mud as a result. That way the Druid could actually see how proficient he¡¯d be in manipulating both water and earth while they were mixed together.


    With how scarce water had been, it would have been wasteful to spill some just on a whim. Especially if then separating the two elements and storing the water again proved unfeasible. But his hope was that now he would be able to play with that idea to his heart¡¯s content.


    Oh wait, shit! Suddenly remembering himself, Jaco hurriedly put his gloves back on.


    In his excitement to feel the rain against his bare hands, he had completely forgotten about the current condition of his fingers. After reequipping them, the Druid quickly glanced around. After it seemed like nobody had noticed, he breathed a small sigh of relief.


    Jaco wasn¡¯t sure if his worries were warranted. But the change to his Species wasn¡¯t a secret and anyone could check for themselves, he was still concerned. A part of him was worried that it was one thing to just read it as text on a screen, and another to actually see the physical change to his body.


    So just out of an abundance of caution, he had decided to keep that particular detail to himself. Maybe he would soon tell Noah and the other people he actually trusted about it. But he was less keen to share such a thing with the common people, just in case.


    Jaco stepped through the crowd and walked up to a pair of familiar faces he spotted. The two scavengers of Sam¡¯s party, Burt and Adam. Though from what he had heard, between their separate responsibilities, it¡¯d been a while since they last all went out together as a team. As Jaco approached, the older Warrior noticed and turned to him.


    ¡°I almost can¡¯t believe it. Something good might actually be happening. A part of me is tempted to open my mouth and let it fall in. But we still don¡¯t know if this water is actually safe to drink, right?¡± Burt asked.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll be finding that out in just a moment,¡± Adam replied as he nodded to their left. The two other men then turned to look toward where he had indicated.


    Some of the rainwater had already been collected in a container. And under the direct supervision of Sam and now Noah as well, a few people seemed to be running tests on it. After a little time passed, one of the women doing so looked up at Noah. With a wide smile on her face, she gave him a nod.


    ¡°The water is safe!¡± Noah called out for everyone gathered to hear. ¡°Both conventional testing and magical senses indicate that it¡¯s perfectly clean and normal! It really is just regular old rainwater!¡±


    With that announcement, the camp erupted into cheers and celebration. Some people were already crying and sobbing as the rain fell upon them. Even as it began to come down harder and soak everyone¡¯s clothing through, nobody really minded.


    Not much time had passed since they had buried their dead. And with the known threat of the Chosen¡¯s eventual return, the camp had been a collective knot of tension. But the rain brought out the emotions and stress of everyone present. Even Jaco found himself blinking back the tears as the crying of some only further loosened up the emotions of others.


    ¡°Man, fuck,¡± Adam mumbled as he rubbed his forearm across his eyes. To his side, Burt had already started to do what he just remarked, and had his mouth wide open to catch the rain.


    Jaco couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself a little. There were plenty of dangers on the road ahead. Both known and likely even more that were still unknown. But maybe, just maybe, this was a sign that things would somehow turn out okay.


    Yet it was then that fate once again proved that she was a fickle mistress.


    Because as they celebrated, the young man¡¯s gut instincts suddenly panged with warning. It wasn¡¯t the piercing scream of an immediate threat that could mean death. But more like a creeping sense of many smaller dangers on their way.


    Just as the Druid looked up, he and everyone else heard a cacophony of shrieks. Jaco¡¯s eyes then widened at what he saw. Coming from the same direction as the storm had, what had to be over a thousand semi-translucent figures were flying high in the air.


    As they very quickly approached, their shrieks only grew louder and louder. Those at the front of these beings were also moving the fastest, so it was in practically no time at all that Jaco was able to identify one with the System.


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 29


    ¡°Of course. Of fucking course this would happen,¡± he bitterly mumbled to himself.


    And what¡¯s more, Jaco had another gut feeling as he looked at the many beings flying to the camp. Of the more than a thousand Spectres that he could see, at least several hundred were heading straight for him.

 Chapter 58:

    Levi stood on what was left of the rooftop of a partially crumbled building. He looked up at the storm clouds above. As it began quickly to pour, however, he remained dry. This was thanks to the umbrella he¡¯d already found, and then grabbed upon seeing the dark clouds approach. He just didn¡¯t really care for getting soaked by the rain.


    He watched as from the clouds, a swarm of transparent beings were currently flying toward him. Levi looked down at the other members of the Chosen Few as they stood on the street below. He internally smirked as they were pointing eagerly gawking at the hundreds of monsters coming their way. It might as well have been raining candy for how excited they were. Because all they saw was a coming flood of Experience Points.


    The leader of the Chosen Few observed the incoming swarm. As soon as the most forefront ones were close enough, he was able to identify as Spectres. And the ones he looked at were actually quite decently Leveled. With the strongest ones being around the early 30s. Levi tapped his chin, his own interest now peaked as well.


    ¡°Not everyday you see an entirely new kind of monster. Doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re from the fortress, so just where exactly did they come from?¡± he muttered to himself. Levi considered the question for a moment longer, but then just internally shrugged. At the end of the day, it actually didn¡¯t really matter what their origin was.


    Levi then raised a brow as of the hundreds of Spectres, more than half swooped toward him. While that was a lot, it wasn¡¯t all of them. For as they should have been mindless undead, they should have all been attracted to either the nearest target or the ones attacking them. Since the fighting hadn¡¯t started yet, it meant that he should have been one getting the entire swarm¡¯s focus.


    Strangely enough, however, the rest of the undead shot straight downward instead. Clearly not aiming for him, but the other Chosen down below. But for the hundreds that were gunning for him, Levi just calmly drew his blade.


    Even with their great numbers, they were still just riff raff in his eyes. Only the ones whose Levels were within the low 30s would even be worth a glance. For the rest, they would only give as much experience as Skeleton Mage. Which was to say, not much at all for someone that was already Level 38.


    But even the smallest scraps of Experience was still worth it. Experience Points brought Levels. Levels brought power. And then power brought undisputable authority. In this new world of theirs, that was the only thing that truly mattered. It was the one factor that determined if someone would have to sheepishly follow orders, or be one giving them.


    Levi quickly began to shred through entire swathes of undead. As a Spellblade with the Conditional Magus Evolution, the strength of his Abilities came from having options for almost every scenario. Which, of course, included devastating attacks with a large area of effect.


    In just a couple mere seconds, the several dozen at the front of the line were already dead. And dozens perished soon after as they rushed forward. But they were nothing more than sacrifices for the meat grinder that then got converted into System notifications.


    Since it was easy going to kill them, Levi had no problem splitting his attention. He looked down onto the streets and watched as the other Chosen performed their own slaughter of the Spectres. He saw how many of the undead would skip the closest person, seemingly Hellbent to instead target the person on the other side.


    Levi observed the situation and carefully studied it. He took count of how many undead were targeting each member at a time. He glanced at multiple golden screens at a time as he inspected the Levels for many of them. And after watching things for a little while longer, something clicked in his head.


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s the pattern.  I think I now understand what¡¯s going on here,¡± he said to himself. Levi had a small smile on his face. Already proud of how he¡¯d deduced the mechanisms for how this swarm operated.


    ¡ª--


    In what felt like no time at all, the camp of survivors had fallen into a panic. And in the midst of the newfound chaos, a little girl tried to hide while still clutching her rabbit doll. Sophia¡¯s entire body quivered as a flood of ghostly beings swarmed their encampment.


    She barely even had the chance to enjoy the rain still pouring down upon them. It had reminded her of the times she and her siblings would run out and play in the mud. Sophia hadn¡¯t seen her parents or siblings since the day of that terrifying explosion. But she still held onto the hope that they would soon come by to be with her again. Even though she had lost them that day, her family could maybe still find her again.


    But as the ghostly swarm encircled the rainy skies above, many began to swoop down. And amongst them, one turned toward her. Its face was empty and had no eyes. Yet even so, something within her said that the monster was now looking right at her.


    Sophia¡¯s legs trembled as she hugged her rabbit even tighter. She remembered Granny¡¯s words. That if anything dangerous appeared, to never look away and not be able to see it coming. Not unless an adult was there to protect you first.


    She prayed that in that moment, her mother and father would run in and find her. That they would pick her up and allow her to close her eyes while relying on them for protection.


    But until that happened, Sophia kept her eyes trained on the Spectre as it came down. As she focused her all on it, a golden screen then appeared. But when she saw the number it presented, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit confused.


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 1


    The little girl tilted her head slightly to the side. While she was young and had never left the camp, she had still learned quite a bit about the Apocalypse by listening in on the adults¡¯ conversations. It was from this understanding that even Sophia couldn¡¯t help but question the golden screen before her.


    The Specter looked scary, but shouldn¡¯t it be stronger? While young children couldn¡¯t gain a Class, it was still the same Level as her. The undead floated around in the air above her for several more seconds. There was still a gap of a few dozen feet between her and it. But rather than close that distance and attack, the Specter then just kept moving. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Sophia!¡± a woman yelled out. The little girl turned to see the source of the voice running toward her. It was Hannah!


    She had been one of the nice adults that often took special notice of Sophia and the other young children, and took care of them. Hannah wrapped her arms around her, and enveloped her into a tight embrace.


    A moment later, Hannah pulled back. ¡°I¡¯m glad I found you in time. Come on sweetie, let¡¯s get you over to the hideout before these things attack.¡±


    Sophia took the older woman by the hand. But before being led away, she took another look up at the stormy sky. Even now, the vast majority of the undead were simply just flying around at a distance.


    ¡°But Hannah, they¡¯re not attacking. See?¡± she said while pointing a finger at the Spectres.


    It was around the same time that most people within the came started to realize the same thing. To so soon see a swarm of undead  after the horde¡¯s recent attack had inspired panic amongst them. Yet it hadn¡¯t taken long for them to notice that something about these undead were different.


    Undead were mindless monsters that attacked the living on sight. That was a well understood fact about them. Yet it became increasingly clear that the behavior of the Spectres didn¡¯t seem to fit this typical mold. Because while there were well over a thousand circling the sky above, only a small minority had come down to attack. And of those, their attacks seemed to be focused onto an even small number of individuals.


    The people were still cautious, of course. But many of them also couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that they apparently didn¡¯t have to fight off another horde. Not at the moment, anyway. For the timing, it at least gave them the chance to better prepare themselves. To get their equipment ready, and hide away the noncombatants like Sophia.


    But at the same time, the general inaction of the Spectres was a concern in itself. Many people asked themselves the same question while moving around. Just what was the reason for the undead swarm¡¯s overall non-aggression so far?


    ¡ª--


    Alex gritted his teeth as he readied himself and his blade. It was then that several Spectres broke off from the main group. He quickly glanced between the undead now flying toward him. There were a fair number of them, but he saw that their Levels weren¡¯t too worrying.


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 22


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 15


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 21


    No problem.


    The teen Warrior fiercely swung his sword. A Slash flew through their air and cut straight through three of the undead in one go. The attacked Spectres were only able to let out one final wail, before their body faded alongside their screams.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    He released a light sigh of relief. A part of Alex had been concerned that being ghosts, these undead would be incorporeal and difficult to hurt. But at the very least, he now knew that his Ability was fully effective. Now there was just a different question left to answer. And it was as if the same would prove true for his actual sword. Yet as more Spectres flew toward him, that was about to be answered.


    As one of the Spectres tried to swipe at him as it flew by, Alex deftly stepped to the side. Then before it could escape his reach, he struck. His sword slashed right through the middle and split the Spectre in two.


    EXP Earned!


    Alright, there¡¯s a lot. But they¡¯re nothing special. While these things can fly, they aren¡¯t as fast as Sirens, Alex thought to himself as he killed another one.


    He didn¡¯t know how dangerous their attacks would be. They didn¡¯t have claws per se, but their nails were a couple inches long and seemingly sharp. As ghosts, however, the teen wasn¡¯t sure if there would be more to it. Like whether or not their strikes would deal a supernatural kind of damage, like he¡¯d heard about for the fog chains of Lesser Revenants. But as long as he didn¡¯t get directly hit, he would have the fortune of never finding out.


    Speaking of which, Alex had to duck to avoid a swipe aimed for the top of his head. He then spun around on his back heel, and struck down another Spectre.


    But just what the Hell is going on? Alex asked himself.


    Where did all of these undead even come from? Was it the storm itself that brought them, or just a coincidence? Yet the latter felt unlikely. As this was the first change in weather across the Apocalypse so far, it was way too much to merely be considered coincidental.


    He then fired off another Slash, and killed a few more of Spectres. And as others came down to attack them, he quickly made short work of them. After the last one attacking him fell, however, no more came down. Even as there was still an entire swarm flying overhead, no more seemed to pay him any mind.


    However, he did see some Spectres swooping downward. Not for him, but others across the encampment. Alex charged forward to give his aid wherever he could. He fired off another Slash, and killed a Spectre that was lingering over a few children. Right before he killed another that was coming toward them, he inspected it.


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 2


    Huh?! Alex blinked a few times. He was surprised by just how weak this one was compared to the undead he¡¯d just fought. With the exception of the Classless kids, this Spectre could hardly even be considered an actual threat.


    He quickly glanced around at various other Spectres. Another that was only Level 3. Several that were in the early teens. Some more in the high teens. Alex couldn¡¯t help but feel stomped by such a wide range in Levels.


    Alex had heard that it was possible for some undead to be stronger while being the same variant. All the basic Skeletons he¡¯d ever fought were in the single digits for their Level. Yet apparently in the innermost section of the city, Jaco had found regular Skeletons that were effectively as strong as Ghouls. So from that, he knew it was possible for monsters to go beyond their expected Level range.


    However, in that case, it had still followed the expectations of weaker monsters in the outer regions versus stronger ones further into the city. Here there was no such distinction, or really any such thing of any kind. For there to be so many of the same variant of a monster ranging from Level 1 all the way to the 30s was simply unprecedented.


    But looking up at the sky, the teen then noticed something that seemed off. Of the many Spectres, a very large number had broken off and were now hovering over the area a small distance away.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Alex asked. He couldn¡¯t help but frown, wondering just what exactly was causing this. But then from that same direction, a beam of fire suddenly shot through the air. It swiftly cut down the undead that had the misfortune of flying at a lower height.


    The teen quickly made his way over to the perimeter of the camp. Before him was the newly built wall. It was both solid and tall, but had yet to have any other defenses added. Defenses that could prevent what Alex then promptly did to quickly circumvent it. Which was to make use of his high Strength and simply leap over it.


    Then on the other side, he saw what was causing so many Spectres to break off. Standing on the field outside the camp was one man, Jaco. And specifically swarming around him and him alone were hundreds of the undead.


    ¡°Why are so many being attracted to him?¡± Alex muttered, dumbfounded by the sight. He just couldn¡¯t make sense out of anything that was currently going on.


    But he found no answer. The swarm of monsters continued to surround Jaco as he fought them off alone.

 Chapter 59:

    Sam fired off an explosive blast at the Spectres attacking her. The group attacking her was small, but that was only when directly compared to the larger swarm still circling above. The blast of Mana tore through a couple undead in one go, which brought several pop-ups. One of which was something she was pretty happy to see.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    Level Up!


    Level 20 to Level 21


    She was in a fairly interesting place in terms of her Level. While Sam was definitely well above the average amongst the camp, she honestly wouldn¡¯t quite place herself as an elite. That was a title that she believes was reserved for those who would soon hit Level 30.


    If she had maintained the same Leveling pace as just a few weeks ago, then perhaps she would still have matched their strongest members. Not counting their new face Evelyn, or especially Jaco, of course. But that just wasn¡¯t quite how things had turned out.


    No, she had instead fallen behind. While Adam and Burt continued to regularly go out as scavengers, Sam had found herself staying back more often. As the teens like Alex feverishly went out to seek Levels, she was busy getting people organized and maintaining order.


    Even Noah eventually caught this same spark. As he had once been the strongest person in the camp, before Jaco first arrived. And when Noah then left to venture into the city for the first time in a while, Sam had remained here to temporarily take up his responsibilities.


    As such, all their main elites were now ever closer to hitting Level 30. And that meant it wouldn¡¯t be long until they crossed the major step of reaching their Class Evolutions. While she was still a few steps below being able to reach that same point.


    But with the increasing escalation of new dangers, Sam was ready to switch gears. After the horror of the undead horde and the deaths it brought, she could longer afford to just sit back and administrate. So while she didn¡¯t understand where this undead swarm had come from, she was more than happy to get things going by taking their EXP.


    Sam then threw out what she personally dubbed as Mana Hail. A version of her Arcane Spellcasting Ability that allowed her to create a ball of Mana that then turned into a cascade of smaller but empowered bolts. As the smaller bolts pierced through the next wave of flying undead, she took the chance to look around.


    And Sam then took note of something she found to be immediately interesting. Rather than swarm the camp as an entire mass, the majority of Spectres seemed to simply be content hanging around in the air. Instead, there were only several pockets of undead attacking that seemed to be rather self-contained.


    She watched as Alex fired off a Slash to cut down the Spectres coming toward him. On the other side of the encampment, Noah used his own magic to do the same. Then both Burt and Adam were fighting side by side in another area. Alongside them, the other more powerful elites of the camp were all preoccupied with their own battles against the undead.


    Wait a second. Normally, undead should just target every living being in sight. But it¡¯s only our stronger members being attacked? Sam asked herself. She glanced at the Levels of the next set of Spectres heading her away, as she prepared another Mana Hail.


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 18


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 13


    Spectre (Undead)


    Level: 16


    Throwing out the Ability, these undead were quickly disposed of. Sam then took the chance to check the Levels of the other Spectres that were currently being fought off. And it was here that her theory was quickly given some credit.


    The Level range of the Spectres seemed to be relatively consistent with the person they were attacking. Like the weakest ones attacking Sam seemed to be a bit over half her own Level. While the strongest were much closer, there weren¡¯t any yet that matched or surpassed it. Then when she saw the Level ranges of the ones attacking the other elites, that same thing seemed to remain true when compared to their own Level.


    Sam glanced back over at Alex, and saw that he was no longer being attacked. Now the teen had started to run around and then killed a few lower altitude undead. Even as he moved directly under the purview of the other Spectres, the rest didn¡¯t seem to take notice of him.


    The same thing also appeared to be the case for herself as well. Now that Sam was taking a good look at them, only so many of the undead were actually flying directly around her. There seemed to be a clear separation between the Spectres that were currently targeting someone, and then the rest that just idly flew around.


    So not only did the Level ranges of the undead relatively match the person they attacked, but it looked like there were only so many that actually targeted each of them.


    Isn¡¯t that almost too good to be true though? To be attacked by Spectres with just enough strength and numbers to not really be an actual threat? Sam couldn¡¯t help but question it. Yet even while suspicious, she couldn¡¯t just not continue to kill the ones that still aimed for her.


    Sam took several steps back to create a bit more distance, before firing off a few regular Mana Bolts. They pierced straight through the incorporeal torsos of the undead. And unlike Skeletons whose skulls needed to be crushed, this was enough to defeat the Spectres as their forms then dissipated.


    But it was then that something happened which Sam almost immediately took note of. The majority of the total swarm seemed to split off into two directions. A few hundred went to aggregate toward a spot just outside of the camp¡¯s walls. Then as a few beams of fire shot toward them, Sam felt it was safe to assume that was Jaco¡¯s current position.


    She began to glance over to the other direction. Well, it¡¯s Jaco. It makes sense that he¡¯d attract the most-


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened with pure surprise. That thought midway within her mind was just as quickly discarded. Of the more than a thousand, hundreds of Spectres were rushing around where Jaco was. It was enough to make the amount everyone else individually dealt with already look like nothing.


    But what shocked her now was how the rest of the undead  reacted. For between the whole swarm that had remained in the sky until now, it was actually the smaller half that went toward Jaco. The rest, easily a couple hundred more than he was getting, were heading in almost the totally opposite direction. And just by leaping onto one of the earthen huts, she could see who it was that could possibly be attracting so many. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The one they were being pulled toward was a familiar woman with ginger hair. It was Evelyn. The redhead stared up at the spectral mass as they spiraled down to her. And as they did so, they released a collective shriek that easily matched the booms of thunder in its pure fury.


    Yet Sam could no longer afford to get distracted as she still had more Spectres of her own to deal with. Forcefully tearing away her eyes from the sight, she switched her focus to them. But with the rest of undead now being pulled away, it made it clear that this was the last batch Sam would have to deal with.


    Raising her wand once again, she made herself focus on her Ability for now. She still had plenty of Mana left, so dealing with this final wave wouldn¡¯t pose any issue. With a deep breath, Sam released the magical power building up with her wand and unleashed it against the undead.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    And then alongside more Experience notifications as she continued to slay the attacking Spectres, Sam was rewarded with another step of progression.


    Level Up!


    Level 21 to Level 22


    With the last of the undead attacking her now defeated, Sam was now freed up. Yet when she turned back to the massive swarm still spiraling toward Evelyn, she couldn¡¯t help but frown with confusion.


    It simply made no sense for so many to be targeting Evelyn. She was still just Level 30, right? While that was extremely impressive, Jaco was still a whole dozen Levels above that point now. So surely, it should have been him that drew the ire of the majority of Spectres. But the sight now before her very eyes had clearly contradicted that expectation.


    Had her earlier theory actually been wrong? Yet when she thought back to everything before this point, it had all fit into a reliable pattern. This was the sole discrepancy, but at the same time, it was simply too big to just be written off.


    Until now, it had looked like the Spectres¡¯ strength and numbers were based on the Level of the individual. But what if there were actually other factors in play too? Factors that Sam hadn¡¯t been able to think of? If that was the case, however, then just what was deciding this?


    Just what could possibly be the factor that had seemingly overridden the big Level difference between Evelyn and Jaco?


    ¡ª--


    Evelyn found herself frozen in place. The heavy drops of rain fell on her body. But rather than relieving, each drop felt like a cold needle being plunged into her skin. Hundreds upon hundreds of the spectral undead were swarming the air directly above her. So large were there numbers that even despite their largely translucent bodies, they completely hid the dark clouds further up.


    The redhead¡¯s hands had been raised in a fighting pose. Having given up her sword earlier, she was currently unarmed. But with her Abilities and high Level, just her bare hands would normally still have been enough. A sword wasn¡¯t required for shooting out something like a Slash, for example. It helped make the arc larger and empowered it by using the blade as a conduit, but the Ability could still be performed even without one.


    Yet the redhead¡¯s raised arms were currently shaking. She had initially been prepared to fight this sudden wave of a new kind of undead. But as they now moved toward her like a flood, her resolve had started to falter.


    Because even though the Spectres had no faces and were expressionless, Evelyn began to see something else. When she blinked through the downpour and looked at one of the closest undead, a face stared back at her. That of a man whose expression was twisted with pain and terror.


    Immediately glancing away didn¡¯t help either. Due to their sheer numbers, simply looking upward meant her eyes landed on another Spectre. And when she did so, the redhead saw a different face. This one of a woman whose lips were twisted into a furious snarl.  Everywhere she looked, more and more faces began to appear of both men and women alike.


    Despite being a former member of the Chosen Few, Evelyn had tried to internally separate herself. She had wanted to believe that she was different from the rest of them. That despite everything that happened these last two months, she could still be considered innocent.


    Evelyn¡¯s trembling fists slowly unclenched. Her hands were covered in armor. But even despite that, she could somehow see the skin underneath. And now they were stained red with blood.


    Her breathing became shallow and ragged. The world around her started to become blurry and distorted. Even the booming collective shriek of the approaching swarm sounded far away and distant.


    ¡°I-¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice was caught within her throat. She wanted to defend herself. To say that things she had done weren¡¯t truly her fault.


    That she hadn¡¯t understood what kind of monsters the Chosen Few were when she initially joined them. That the first human life she had taken was done so only due a misunderstanding from then twisting the truth into a lie. Then the second life was just from defending herself from retaliation due to the first, while still not knowing the truth of what had really happened.


    A part of her still knew that every atrocity committed afterward had also been forced. Whether it be through direct deceit or more subtle methods. Yet no matter the reasoning or excuses, it was still her hands that still got covered in blood. But that small part of her mind was easily crushed under a tidal wave of guilt.


    The mass of Spectres were now upon her. It was only a matter of seconds until they were close enough to strike. But under that guilty wave, even the desire to defend herself was squashed like a feeble candle.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Evelyn sobbed. Her arms dropped to her sides as she collapsed onto the ground. Tears streamed down the redhead¡¯s cheeks before they were quickly mixed into heavy downpour of rain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m-¡± Evelyn was cut off as a transparent hand clawed against the back of her head. She didn¡¯t even know the Level of the attacking Spectre. But the strike carried enough force to smack her forward and into the muddied dirt.


    And it was just the first of many. Hundreds of hands began to wail against her back. The majority of them felt weak. Weak enough for her to normally be able to just shrug them off. But mixed in were more powerful strikes like the first. Even these didn¡¯t carry enough power to be truly dangerous on their own. But they still did enough to hurt, and could very quickly add up in damage. Especially for someone like Evelyn, who had greatly favored Agility over Endurance in her Stats.


    Despite her shaky mental state, Evelyn¡¯s base instincts for survival tried to spur her on. To have her pick herself up and make use of high Agility. For her to use her Agility-dependent Ability as a Flashblade Blitzer to fight back and start tearing through the undead.


    In between the stronger attacks, Evelyn did manage to get up to her feet. She then quickly managed to create distance by jumping backward. Her fist then glowed with light as she started to channel her Ability. But before she could unleash its power, several undead had already turned around.  And when she met their empty gazes, more faces flashed across her vision.


    At that moment, her focus was broken once again. Then the next moment, the swarm surged to quickly close the gap. She just couldn¡¯t do it. Whether it was their power or just an illusion created by her own mind, the result was the same. Evelyn couldn¡¯t gather the strength needed to strike down those she had wronged for a second time.


    The hundreds of Specters were then upon her. Yet unable to even bring up the will to fight, she just fell back down to her hands and knees. The guilt and regret was simply too great.


    There was no excuse that could be made. She deserved death for her actions with the Chosen Few. Even if they were just hallucinations, perhaps it¡¯d deservedly come from the faces of those she had wronged. It would be a painful and drawn out death as they could only do so much damage at a time. But maybe that too was something she deserved.


    Yet right before the first wave of Spectres could crash into her crumpled form, a wave of fire cut them off. And at the same time, a figure jumped between the redhead and the swarm of undead.


    With a wave of his staff, he quickly decimated another large number of Spectres. It was then that he turned around and grabbed her by the shoulder.


    ¡°Evelyn! Are you alright?!¡± Jaco yelled. Yet when she then looked up to meet his eyes, Evelyn had hardly even been able to register his words.


    Despite the Druid¡¯s good intentions to come to her aid, it wasn¡¯t worth the effort. Because within her own mind, her own death was an owed debt that still needed to be paid.

 Chapter 60:

    With a horizontal swing of his staff, Jaco released an arc of air that cut through the next immediate wave of Spectres. From just that one attack, there was a flood of notifications for Experience gained. With how many had already been striking at Evelyn, a lot of them were already near the ground and within reach.


    But even with all these smaller pop-ups, one golden screen remained at the forefront. And while it was still open, Jaco gave another glance to where it sat at the side of his vision.


    General Info:


    Species: Hell-Touched Human


    Level: 44


    Class: Druid


    Evolution: True Shifter


    Secondary Class: Blight Warlock


    Level: 17


    Stats:


    Strength: 151


    Agility: 98


    Endurance: 140


    Will: 128


    Spell Power: 173


    Unspent Points: 20


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Animal Instincts


    Passive: One With Nature


    Passive: Permanent Aspect One


    Passive: Wild Constitution


    Active: Lesser Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Lesser Beast Transformation


    Active: Minor Primal Ferocity


    Active: Lesser Shapeshift


    Active: Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental


    Secondary Class Abilities:


    Active: Lesser Pestilent Swarm


    Active: Lesser Zone of Blight


    Active: Lesser Rotting Summon


    From the hundreds of Spectres that had targeted him just earlier, he¡¯d already gotten quite the boon. Of them, many had simply been in the mid 20s for their Level. So while great in numbers, even their collective total of Experience Points hadn¡¯t been worth too much. Not when it came to his increasing requirements for each Level Up, anyway.


    But when it came to the who knew how many dozens whose Level were up to the mid 30s?  Now, they had brought some real gains for EXP. Two whole Levels for his main Class. Which with the two Levels gained earlier, brought him to a total of 20 Unspent Points.


    For the first 10, Jaco had originally intended to hang onto them. While getting Agility to triple digits would have been a nice mental checkmark, it wasn¡¯t currently a necessity. After the battle with the Minotaur, having a sudden influx of Endurance thanks to Points invested had made the all the difference between life and death.


    There was just something about getting a burst increase to the Stat that seemed to carry a bit of extra oomph. At least when loosely compared to the value of the Stat beforehand.  As such, Jaco had decided that perhaps it¡¯d be a good idea to keep around some Unspent Points for that very purpose. So that, should he ever need it, they could effectively be utilized as a second wind to his physical condition.


    Though that had been his plan after he¡¯d reached Level 42. Now with the gain of an additional couple of Levels, there was some wiggle room.


    Jaco watched as the next wave of Spectres filled in the gap left by his wind attack. Then glancing back at the golden screen, he decided to just go ahead with something. He immediately went ahead and just added two Points to Agility. With it brought up to an even 100, all of his Stats had entered the realm of triple digits. And at the same time, that still left 18 whole Unspent Points to keep as an emergency reserve.


    Though when it came to the next mental benchmark, one Stat in particular was ahead in that race. At a total of 173, it wouldn¡¯t be too long until Spell Power became the first to break 200. And while there was a small whisper of temptation to use his Points to boost it even closer to that point, Jaco was able to ignore it. Largely because of the current reason for its latest jump in value.


    With the Spectres being seemingly like ghosts, one had to wonder if they were susceptible to certain ailments. Ailments such as rot, for example. So when Jaco had earlier been fighting off his own swarm of undead, he had plenty of opportunity to answer that question. By testing it on the weaker ones whose Experience he could easily afford to split away from his main Class.


    It¡¯d been rather simple to maintain a Lesser Zone of Blight while fighting. And with how many undead there were, it was practically guaranteed to always have some cross into its area of effect. Which had very quickly provided an answer to the earlier question.


    Yes, even these spectral undead were somehow susceptible to rot. They started off as just being mostly translucent beings. But after some time in the Zone of Blight, the Spectres under its effects actually became visually more concrete. Where concrete was very much a literal descriptor as well.


    In that their forms had turned grey and increasingly opaque. And as they continued to remain in the area, their bodies only continued to show further signs of deterioration. After turning entirely grey, cracks had begun to form both across the surface and all throughout their bodies. Until eventually, they just crumbled apart and completely dissipated. Nothing more than a grey streak in the air that was then blown away by the wind and rain.


    Through these kills, he¡¯d increased his Secondary Class by 10 Levels. In turn, that had increased his Will and Spell Power by 10 Points each. Which when stacked with the amount gained by the two Levels from his Druid Class, had amounted to Spell Power creeping ever closer to that eventual 200 mark.


    Yet there was also an issue there. Because while 10 Levels was a good amount to gain for his Secondary Class, it also didn¡¯t feel like it was enough. Jaco could¡¯t say for sure just how many Spectres he¡¯d killed through the Zone of Blight. Either directly with the Ability alone or defeated them with something else while they were still at least damaged by its effect.


    But with just how many he did effect with it and their average Level, it should have brought his Blight Warlock¡¯s Level up to more than just 17, right? However, that clearly wasn¡¯t the case. And since plenty of them were killed directly by its Ability, that seemed to indicate another theory Jaco had. One that he considered after initially testing and gaining his first few Levels with the Blight Warlock.


    There did seem to be a limit on how quickly he could progress its Levels. One that was likely tied to his current Level as a Druid. Perhaps it was just how much Experience was split, even if a monster was solely defeated by his Secondary Class Abilities. Like even then, only so much at a time would be allocated to it versus his main Class.


    It was either that, or simply just how much Experience it took per Level. So even though it was only Level 17, the amount required was equivalent to a higher Level for his Druid Class. Or who knew, perhaps it was actually a mix of both EXP gain speed and the amount required per Level.


    In any case, Jaco could now confidently say that Leveling his Blight Warlock Class would be a slow endeavor. It would likely be a long while until it also reached the 40s. Since he was willing to bet that things were more likely to just get even slower as its Level got higher. When that did eventually happen, there was a chance that he might have already gotten into the 50s as a Druid. Or who knows, perhaps even higher than that.


    But hey, who was going to look a gift horse in the mouth? Just the Stats already provided by his Secondary Class already boosted his Stats beyond what they would otherwise have been. If Jaco ever fought someone at the same Level who believed themselves his equal in Spell Power, they would be in for a rude awakening.


    Jaco began to channel his Mana for Lesser Elemental Offense. But rather than send out another air-based attack, he had a different element in mind instead. After all, they were currently in the middle of a very heavy downpour. So save for being in a lake or such, this was the most water he¡¯d have the chance to work with.


    There was still a limited range to the water he could control, but that was fine. The recent increase to his Will only made that range grow out all the further anyway. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    As the swarm of Spectres rushed forward side by side, they entered his killing field. With a wave of his staff, hundreds of individual raindrops were taken under his control. Then in that same moment, their downward descent was changed into a sudden flurry of sideways motion.


    The Druid had enforced his will upon every individual drop. That no matter what, they wouldn¡¯t lose their shape. When facing resistance, they would just keep moving without breaking. And since they were all individually so light, he could throw them all around at high speeds. Through this, Jaco had effectively turned the raindrops into something akin to a bullet hell.


    As a result, the Spectres became nothing but moving targets for these liquid bullets. Staff raised in the air, Jaco continuously swung it around in a circle. Mimicking the circular motion, the raindrops under his control decimated all the undead that had the misfortune of crossing their path. And as rain continued to pour down, more and more just kept entering his control.


    Within this bullet hell sphere, there were only two safe havens. There was where Jaco himself stood at its very center, of course. But in addition, he was mindful to have the drops skip around where the redhead was. It was pretty easy to do as she wasn¡¯t moving and had remained on her hands and knees. However, the current situation sadly was not very sustainable.


    Hmm. This is pretty powerful, but not very Mana efficient. Keeping up each drop¡¯s speed and stability already costs a bit. But as more keep getting added in, the cost rate is actually going up faster than I¡¯d like. I suppose I could sacrifice the stability and let the drops get blasted apart on impact, Jaco thought to himself.


    Though the Druid was being rather casual about it, the Mana drain was actually quite high. It was only thanks to his relatively monstrous Mana pool that he could even afford such a costly experiment. It was easily the highest costing thing he¡¯s ever done with Elemental Offense in terms of Mana spent every second. Which told him that it was also likely the most inefficient too. Especially since his wind blasts were able to achieve effectively the same kill rate of slaying undead for a much lower overall cost.


    Jaco looked back at the woman he was currently protecting. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what happened to her. All the Druid knew was that she¡¯d already been pummeled and thrown around by the swarm by the time he arrived. And while their numbers were great, it shouldn¡¯t have been too much for Evelyn to handle. Not under normal circumstances, anyway.


    The stronger a person got, the easier it was for them to deal with an army of weaker enemies. One¡¯s rate of increased power simply outpaced the effectiveness of superior numbers if said army was relatively low Level.


    Was her Class Evolution just not able to actually handle large hordes? No, that didn¡¯t make sense. Even if it wasn¡¯t, she would still have no problem by using the Slash Ability from being a Warrior. Jaco then noticed that she was currently unarmed. Yet from what he understood of how Slash worked, that also shouldn¡¯t have been a major problem in this situation, right?


    However, Evelyn did seem to not be in the best condition. Running down her face, he could see red being mixed into the rain. She must have taken a pretty bad hit directly to the head. But despite being hurt, she didn¡¯t seem to have even an inkling of fighting spirit.


    But that was part of the problem. All the Spectres were ultimately focused on her, not him. So unless Jaco maintained omnidirectional attacks, some would just ignore him and attack the redhead.


    Yet he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain the bullet hell of rain, at least not before all the undead were defeated. And while he had led his swarm out of the camp¡¯s wall, that wasn¡¯t the case for this one. Which meant Jaco was effectively handicapped in terms of his big guns. Since he couldn¡¯t risk hurting someone that happened to wander nearby.


    In that case, I¡¯ll just have to grab her and get us both out of the way. Then I¡¯ll be able to finish taking care of these things without having to worry about anyone else.


    Since Evelyn seemed to be out of it, it looked like she would have to manually be moved. That was fine. It would be easy enough to pick her up and quickly carry her outside the encampment. With that decided, he went ahead and began to make his move.


    Jaco immediately ended his use of Elemental Offense. All the raindrops that had been under his control collectively fell down as gravity once again took over. He quickly made his way backwards toward Evelyn.


    With her still being on her hands and knees, Jaco went ahead and grabbed her by the midsection with one arm. With how high his Strength was, carrying a fully grown human wearing chainmail was easy. Easy enough that if she didn¡¯t move, it¡¯d be no different than just holding onto some luggage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± her voice was barely more than a whisper. Something that would have been drowned out by the heavy downpour, were it not for Jaco¡¯s enhanced hearing. He looked down at her, his head slightly tilted to the side. Yet just as he was about to wonder what she meant, the redhead continued.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t bother. Just let me die.¡±


    Huh? Jaco asked himself. He hadn¡¯t even been able to carry her out of the camp yet. But now he was just confused and completely thrown off by her words. Just what was this about? Had he somehow misheard her?


    ¡ª--


    ¡°Just let me die!¡± Evelyn repeated with a cry. She had been willing to lay down her life in the face of the swarm of undead. To repent for her sins there and then through her own death.


    As she cried that out, the Spectres showed that they weren¡¯t willing to just wait around. So while Jaco was still holding onto her while standing there, the undead flew toward them. Apparently then realizing this, Jaco quickly swung his staff to shoot out a blast of wind. Many were cut down, but there continued to be even more to fill in the gap.


    As the Druid fought them off, Evelyn¡¯s mind was still a mess. Vivid memories of her time with the Chosen Few still swam across her vision. Jaco was trying to save her. But she wasn¡¯t someone that deserved to be saved. If anything, what she truly deserved was the same fate as the other Chosen that the Druid had personally killed.


    ¡°Jaco, just put me down and stop! I was a member of the Chosen Few! You don¡¯t know the things I¡¯ve done! The people I¡¯ve killed and things I did!¡± Evelyn yelled out. She had tried so hard to keep it under wraps. Just as much from herself as everyone else. But this was the only way that he¡¯d be able to understand.


    The Druid glanced down at her. He opened his mouth as if he was about to reply. However, he was just as quickly cut off by the swarm resurging and keeping him busy. At the same time, he did start to move and carry Evelyn toward the nearest section of wall.


    Evelyn tightened her jaw. ¡°Did you hear me?! I¡¯ve killed people, Jaco! Innocent people! And when my team did the same thing, I was just as complacent by convincing myself otherwise! So just let the Spectres kill me, it¡¯s the least I deserve after everything!¡±


    ¡°I already knew you were a former member of the Chosen,¡± Jaco said as he shook his head. ¡°After what their leader said about you resigning, it was pretty obvious. I would have needed to be an idiot to not realize it.¡±


    Still carrying her, the Druid turned back to unleash another attack against the undead. The Spectres were furious in their pursuit. But even while holding onto her, he still managed to solidly outrun them. As he ran, the former Chosen¡¯s dry eyes had widened.


    ¡°Then why? If you already knew, then-¡± she began.


    ¡°Because it wouldn''t have been right,¡± Jaco interrupted. ¡°Maybe you do deserve to die like the other Chosen. But getting torn apart by undead isn¡¯t it. If you do deserve to be executed, then that¡¯d just be the easy way out. It wouldn¡¯t be true justice. The guilty aren¡¯t the ones that get to decide their own punishment.¡±


    Evelyn looked up at Jaco. Even through the thick sheet of rain, she could see his grimace. Despite his words being confidently harsh, his expression was a much more complicated mix of emotions. His tone had been filled with confidence. But his face showed that there was a bigger divide of contradictory thoughts underneath.


    The Druid then leapt over the wall with her in tow. With them out of the camp, the Spectres continued to follow and move away from everyone else.


    Evelyn gritted her teeth. She stared down at the muddy ground, her own thoughts now thrown into even further disarray. She found herself about to say something else, but then suddenly thought against it. At this point, Jaco clearly couldn¡¯t be convinced to stop.


    A little bit later, Jaco came to a stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to let go now,¡± he said. A second after that warning, he then did so. But Evelyn was quick to react.


    Even in her disheveled state, her reflexes kicked in and allowed her to land on her feet and remain balanced. Though her mud-covered legs were still wobbly and just as quickly threatened to once again give out from under her. This time, however, she managed to maintain the will to stay standing.


    Now that they were away from the camp, Jaco stopped holding back. While her swarm had started off with several hundred undead, its population had already been considerably cut down by the Druid. And when it came to the remaining couple hundred, he was quick to ruin them.


    With Evelyn standing at his side, they were like moths uncontrollably attracted to a flame. But that flame also proved to be literal. As Jaco then rapidly spun his staff, creating a tunnel of wind that slammed into the undead. And just a moment later, breathed out a spew of fire that turned the tunnel into a searing inferno.


    Evelyn watched the fire as it torched the Spectres. Standing so close to its source, she felt its heat prickle against her face¡¯s skin. In the battle against the horde, she knew that Dick had been incinerated by Jaco. And within her mind, she likened this blaze as a damning flame that now destroyed the undead.


    All he had to do was move the blaze by twisting his body. With that he was able to adjust his aim to always hit the closest Spectres. Though it wasn¡¯t somethat that didn¡¯t need to be done for long. As just a short while later, the last of them were burnt away into nothingness.

 Chapter 61:

    His hand held above his eyes, Noah squinted through the heavy rain. Even with their transparent bodies, it¡¯d been easy to see the Spectres when they were packed together as a swarm. But now that the majority of them had been killed, it took a bit more effort to spot the last ones that still hung around.


    Following behind the camp leader was a squad of men and women. They were a mix of both Scouts and Mages. With their Classes being focused on long range fighting, they were well suited for picking off targets that flew around in the sky.


    But the remaining Spectres did occasionally make their lives easier on them. As one let out an ear-piercing wail, all their gazes snapped toward the direction of the noise. Of the Scouts, Adam was also present. And he was the first one to react by loosing an arrow at the source of the screech.


    Adam then glanced off to the side, before looking back at Noah. He gave him a small nod, confirming the kill.


    ¡°Alrighty everyone, we should almost be done here. There shouldn¡¯t be many left to go before we¡¯ve cleared the last of them. Just continue to keep your eyes and ears sharp,¡± Noah stated. With that, their group moved on with their steady patrol around the camp.


    But now that things were wrapping up with the undead, Noah could judge that things had gone fairly well for them. As far as he was aware, nobody had died. Considering the losses they¡¯d sustained after the last attack by a large number of undead, this was a welcome contrast. Yet there was still even more good news beyond just a lack of deaths.


    Drinking water had been a source of much concern for the camp leader. Though it hadn¡¯t been an immediate emergency up to now, it¡¯d felt like a water shortage was inevitable. There was only so much water that would be found inside containers. While larger sources like the city¡¯s water tower were confirmed to have been completely compromised by the explosion. And then natural sources such as a pond near the city¡¯s edge and small streams outside it also couldn¡¯t be trusted.


    Partially due to how such things were almost certainly tainted with particles from the wrecked city. It was now believed that a high Endurance would help defend against things like pathogens. Since there weren¡¯t really any cases of anyone getting sick or infected by their wounds as they increased the Stat. The assumption was that one''s Endurance also somehow boosted their natural immune system to achieve this effect.


    However, what else the Stat applied to was unknown. They were pretty sure that bits of metal, glass, concrete, and other such urban materials had entered the local streams.


    And then there was the consideration of how the Apocalypse in general had changed nature, like with the climate. There were methods of filtering the water out for things like heavy metals.  But in general, it had been considered a last resort due to the overall uncertainty around whether it¡¯d be toxic.


    However, the sudden heavy downpour of rain now acted as a real game changer. When Noah glanced around, he could see that with the majority of Spectres now culled, people had calmed back down. With that, they were able to return to their focus on the next most important thing. Which was to collect as much rainwater as possible while they still could.


    His thoughts were then cut off. As they heard a couple more wails from up above them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take these ones,¡± Noah said. He raised a hand and began to channel Mana. His eyes darted through the air to try and find the sources of the wailing.


    Then upon spotting his targets, he threw out bolts of condensed Mana. These bolts easily tore through the Spectres. Which even through the thick sheet of rain, the System was still there to act as confirmation for the kills.


    EXP Earned!


    EXP Earned!


    Noah had to admit that the sudden appearance of the Spectres had made for quite the hidden boon. Just from dealing with those that had attacked him, he had earned a substantial gain in Experience Points. Something which had now brought him up to Level 28.


    Now he was ever closer to the point of being able to gain his Class Evolution. And, of course, the substantial power boost that it brought.


    Then he too could at least have a fighting chance against the Chosen Few. It had felt awful to call himself the leader of this camp of survivors, but to fail in being strong enough to protect it himself. And while he¡¯d be eternally grateful for Jaco¡¯s intervention, he had a duty to be the one that could step up to that plate.


    After that, his group continued their patrol of the encampment. They spotted a few more Spectres here and there, but it wasn¡¯t much longer until they killed the last one. Or at the very least, what they believed to be the last.


    Noah just assumed so after enough time passed without seeing any or hearing their wails that he felt it was safe to call it. If there were any stragglers, they had to be extremely few in number while also maintaining an extra high distance. Where even with their piercing screeches, they had to be far enough to still not be hearable over the rain.


    ¡°Alright guys, good work. If you need to take a rest, feel free. But if not, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more work to be done elsewhere. Just ask around, I¡¯m sure that there are always people that could currently use a helping hand with collecting the rainwater or something else,¡± Noah stated. Those in the group just nodded, before they all broke off and went their separate ways.


    However, it didn¡¯t take long for the leader of the camp to find a task for him to do. Because as he walked to a high point, something quickly caught his attention. Just outside the camp, he saw three people. Evelyn, Jaco, and Sam.


    The three of them were standing around, with Sam throwing up her arms in the air. The loud rain drowned out what was actually being said. But just from the body language and way things looked overall, it seemed like a real commotion.


    Sighing, Noah already decided to head over there. He just hoped that whatever was going on wasn¡¯t anything too serious. However, from just how it seemed, the camp leader assumed that he was about to deal with a headache. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡ª--


    Sam ran over to where Evelyn had been dealing with own massive swarm of undead. Just the very fact that it¡¯d been even larger than Jaco¡¯s had made it stand out all the further. Yet it was a ways away from where she had currently been. And along away, Sam had paused to assist in clearing out other Spectres that got a little too close to the camp¡¯s citizens for comfort.


    While she believed herself to still be moving quickly, however, someone else moved even faster. Seeing movement at the edge of her vision, Sam turned her gaze upward. There she saw a small, brown figure rapidly flying through the air. It was hard to see, but looked to be a bird zooming toward the same direction as her.


    Jaco? Sam asked herself. She thought that he would have still been dealing with his own Spectres. But when she glanced back to where had been, there were no longer any over there.


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened with a fair bit of surprise. Weren¡¯t there hundreds of them? And he really managed to already kill them all? Damn. The ones closer to him in Level should have slowed things down, but even they clearly didn¡¯t give him trouble.


    When she then looked back at Evelyn, he had already dropped onto the ground near her in his human form. The Druid then began to defend the redhead and fight off the Spectres attacking her. With Jaco now on the scene, there was less urgency to help out. So Sam slowed down from a run to a still hurried walk.


    But as she continued to move forward, there was a sudden change. Jaco stopped his attack on the Spectres and quickly moved back to Evelyn. He reached down to grab her, but then just stood in place. The sudden start and stop of motion made Sam pause in her approach. Yet before she could resume, Evelyn¡¯s voice then yelled out.


    ¡°Did you hear me?! I¡¯ve killed people, Jaco! Innocent people! And when my team did the same thing, I was just as complacent by convincing myself otherwise! So just let the Spectres kill me, it¡¯s the least I deserve after everything!¡± she cried.


    Sam took a half-step backward, her eyes fully widened. But shock just as quickly turned into anger as she tightened her grip around her wand.


    The suspicions had been there. All the signs had indicated toward Evelyn being a member of the Chosen Few. Enough so that Sam had called her in for a private talk in an attempt to subtly prod at the redhead for more information about it. But other than that, Sam hadn¡¯t taken any action or made any real attempt to directly address that fact.


    Because she had hoped that Evelyn was different. That perhaps she was just a recent member who had just as quickly left the Chosen. Someone who would only be guilty by association, but hadn¡¯t actually done anything that could be considered reprehensible.


    A large reason for that hope had been due to the redhead¡¯s behavior. Since their first meeting, Evelyn had always appeared to be rather withdrawn and quiet. Rarely speaking out on her own, and choosing to be off the side and out of the main focus. None of these were something that matched the personalities of the Chosen Few.


    As far as Sam knew, they were all murderous psychopaths and were proud of it. They were narcissists that flocked under the idea of being ¡°Chosen¡±. People who had no respect for human life and saw others as nothing more than fuel to be sacrificed for their own growth. When even children weren¡¯t spared in their cruelty, it all the more showed that they were just monsters in human kin.


    So when Evelyn¡¯s personality was darn near the opposite in how she presented herself, it¡¯d assuaged Sam¡¯s inherent suspicions. Then add to the fact that Jaco had been the one to first find the redhead and then had brought her here. Sam knew from a previous discussion about his Abilities that as a Druid, he had supernatural instincts. To the point where he could rely on those instincts as a first line of defense against potential dangers or to help him notice when something was off.


    And yet what had just been yelled out couldn¡¯t be denied. In her own words, Evelyn had just admitted to being someone that''s taken innocent lives. But then, just how many people had she killed? Just how many more had her ¡°team¡± killed, that she apparently turned a blind eye to? Did they also include children and those were utterly helpless and unable to even defend themselves?


    Sam¡¯s jaw tightened with frustration. Though the feeling was largely aimed at herself. In the early days of the Apocalypse, she had failed to see her brother¡¯s unusual behaviors until it was too late. And for that, she¡¯d blamed herself.


    Then as a reactionary response, she had mistrusted Jaco. Sam had gone out of her way to be suspicious of him. For no fault of his own than just being unusually strong while she was still reeling from the earlier betrayal. Then when he left, she blamed herself again.


    And now as a way to correct for that, she had wanted to trust Evelyn. To put down the suspicious whisper in the back of her mind. Perhaps it was simply naivety, or maybe it was just a desire to believe that not every powerful stranger was a monster in disguise. That there could still be good in people, like Jaco who killed monsters and used that strength to protect others.


    As her emotions were a whirlwind, Sam was still standing there. So caught up in her thoughts, she hadn¡¯t initially noticed Jaco carrying Evelyn out of the camp. As he then soon came to a stop and began to wipe out the Spectres that had followed, Sam¡¯s body was tense.


    She took a deep and shaky breath. Sam refused to once again be forced to just blame herself. To regret her actions or otherwise inaction for what happened. As the Spectres drawn to Evelyn were very quickly being decimated, Sam steeled herself. At the same time as the final undead were being killed, she moved over to where they currently were.


    When she got over the wall, it didn¡¯t take long for her to spot Jaco and Evelyn. And upon seeing the redhead, the flames of Sam¡¯s anger surged. Stomping toward them, she didn¡¯t even care anymore and pointed her wand straight at Evelyn.


    ¡°Sam?¡± Jaco asked as he turned toward her. Meeting his eyes, Sam gritted her teeth. It took everything she had to not just attack Evelyn right there and then.


    ¡°Jaco,¡± Sam said with a scowl ¡°Tell me that I misheard. That Evelyn didn¡¯t just now admit to murdering people just like all the other Chosen.¡±


    The Druid sighed. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t mishear. I still don¡¯t know the details, though. Which is what I want to find out before we do anything else. So for the time being, could you put down your wand?¡±


    During their back and forth, Evelyn was visibly shaky on her feet. Her face was caked with both dirt and blood running down with the rain. But she just stared down at the muddy ground and didn¡¯t seem keen to say anything.


    Hearing footsteps stomping through the mud, Sam glanced back. She saw Noah marching toward them. And it wasn¡¯t just him. Coming from a different direction, there was Alex and a few others coming over as well.


    Sam¡¯s wand was still raised in the air and pointed at Evelyn. Seeing this confrontation, Noah wore a deep frown as he approached the three of them. And as the others came closer as well, Sam looked between them and the redhead.


    ¡°Just what exactly is going on here?¡± Noah asked.


    ¡°Good question,¡± Sam replied as she focused her gaze on the former Chosen. ¡°Maybe Evelyn would want to be the one to share the truth for all of us to hear.¡±


    Evelyn¡¯s fists tightened into balls. But then she slowly looked up and met the gazes of the small crowd.


    ¡°I¡­ I was a member of the Chosen Few. And I¡¯m just as guilty as them for killing people,¡± she once more admitted. But now, it was for everyone close by to clearly hear.


    Alex¡¯s hand had already slowly reached back down for his sword. As Noah just shook his head, the other camp members present looked between each other with widened eyes. Of the small number of people present, a few hadn¡¯t even been there to hear what Levi said to Evelyn. So this was the first time they heard of her association with the Chosen.


    The redhead then continued after taking a shaky breath. ¡°I¡¯m just another murderer that deserves death for what I did.¡±

 Chapter 62:

    Out of everyone, Jaco personally felt like he was the one who most disliked what was going on. In his own mind, he was currently facing his own dilemma of conflicting emotions. And, of course, it all had to do with Evelyn and the Chosen Few.


    On one hand, his policy for the Chosen had effectively become kill on sight whenever possible. He had internalized a justification that they were all nothing but a blight that needed to be expunged. Something which was just further reinforced by his own gut instincts. Whenever Jaco interacted with the Chosen, he had almost always been filled with a sense of utter disgust.


    Which was a part of why it¡¯d been relatively easy for him to personally justify their deaths at his hands. Why he had so quickly been able to get over the idea of killing another human, and instead see it as an act for the sake of the greater good. But then there was Evelyn.


    When it came to his internalization of a garden, there had been two main aspects. The garden itself that needed to be protected, and the weeds who needed to be viscously torn from the earth and cast aside. Yet within that mental image, just where exactly would someone like Evelyn fall?  That was the new kind of case he was still trying to internally address.


    She was different from the other Chosen he¡¯d met so far. Unlike the others, her presence hadn¡¯t ever triggered that same gut feeling. As far as his Druidic instincts had been concerned, Evelyn was like the people of the camp. Someone that was just another survivor, and not a psychopath that earned his ire at first sight.


    Yet on the other hand, it wasn¡¯t like nothing could be done about it. Evelyn had admitted to being a killer under the Chosen Few. However, he had a gut feeling that something about the exact circumstances did feel off. There was just something about it that he couldn¡¯t quite place, but was why he wanted more details.


    Any semblance of a legal system would be difficult to make work in their new world. Like how would one even restrain a high Strength murderer in order to put them on trial? They had yet to find any artifacts that could act as supernatural restraints, and any mundane chains or such could easily be broken. And that was just for raw Strength, and didn¡¯t even factor in the use of Abilities.


    This meant that putting the other Chosen on trial would be impossible. That would require capturing them alive, which would be difficult enough on its own. Then there was the point of keeping them from simply breaking out and killing their captors.


    However, this was another aspect where Evelyn could be considered a special case. She didn¡¯t even have the willpower to defend herself against the swarm of undead. Much less try to escape or fight back, especially when she had already been the first one to decide that she deserved death. Now he just needed to argue that point to the other people around him.


    ¡°See? She¡¯s even willing to admit it herself. Former or not, we can¡¯t just let a member of the Chosen Few maintain her freedom,¡± Sam argued. Even after their previous back and forth, the Mage maintained keeping the tip of her wand targeted straight at the redhead.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Jaco asked. ¡°She¡¯s already turned in her sword of her own volition. And if she ever wanted to leave, she¡¯s also had plenty of chances to do that already.¡±


    Alex then shook his head. ¡°Jaco, I¡¯m sorry, but I have to take Sam¡¯s side here. If she¡¯s a murderer, she has to be held accountable for it,¡± the teen said as he glanced over at Evelyn, before continuing.


    ¡°Some of our own people are dead because of the Chosen. Good people who didn¡¯t do anything wrong to deserve becoming victims. If Evelyn¡¯s done the same to other people''s friends and families, we can¡¯t just let it go. It wouldn¡¯t be right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should just let it go. Actually, here,¡± Jaco said. With a small gesture with his staff, he raised a patch of earth.


    The Druid specifically pulled up a section that was deeper and would still be relatively dry. He then willed for its shape to be that of a crude seat for himself. Then just a moment later, he did the same for everyone else currently present. It seemed like they were going to be here for a little while. So they might as well sit down and get comfortable rather than just stand around.


    ¡°What I am saying is that we have a chance to bring some order back. To bring back a piece of civilized society with a legal process. If we aren¡¯t forced to kill people on the spot in the heat of battle, then wouldn¡¯t that be the better thing to do?¡± he asked.


    Sam raised a question brow as she also took her seat. ¡°As idealistic as that sounds, Jaco, that¡¯s not really feasible. I can tell you for a fact that there aren¡¯t any lawyers or judges in the camp. The closest thing we have are a couple former cops and I think maybe a single law student. So even if, if, we wanted to follow that idea, we just aren¡¯t capable of doing it by the old world¡¯s standards.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Sam¡¯s right,¡± Alex agreed as he too sat down. ¡°And in my opinion, even a slapped together trial would only make things worse. Right now, only so many people actually know about Evelyn¡¯s association with the Chosen Few. But after our members took time to grieve after the last attack, rumors have recently started to go around. High Level people don¡¯t exactly grow on trees, ya know? Especially not ones that show up out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Really? I mean, I was a relatively high Level person that showed up out of nowhere. And I don¡¯t think people had that reaction to me,¡± Jaco replied.


    Alex shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s because the Chosen weren¡¯t really known back then, remember? They were a dangerous group that only the top members of the camp knew of. At the time, all the common people knew was that there were some bandits in the city. But now that everyone is fully aware of the Chosen and their cruelty, of course they¡¯re going to be more wary of powerful strangers.¡±


    The teen had a point with that one. Up until recently, the majority of the camp had simply stayed in place. Most of them had been until the encampment¡¯s safety from the very first days of the Apocalypse. So for that time, they had been able to afford to be a bit naive. Especially so when it came to dealing with other human beings.


    But now things had changed. Awareness of the Chosen Few was now common knowledge, and everyone knew that they were a group of murderers who sought to slaughter them all.


    ¡°Alright, I think I see what you¡¯re saying now. If we try to have any kind of trial, everyone will know. And if people know that Evelyn¡¯s a member of the Chosen Few, things can go bad very, very quickly,¡± Jaco said as he leaned back.


    The attack of the undead horde led by the Chosen was still fresh on people¡¯s minds. Their mental wounds were still recent enough to not even be considered scars yet. From what Jaco understood, a large chunk of the camp¡¯s population was either dead or still missing.


    The reality was that the Apocalypse had only been going for two months. Many were still grieving those that they had lost on the day that changed their lives forever. In the time that passed, this group of survivors had relied on each other and formed into a community. But now several of these close friends to support one another were dead. And when it came to these losses, they were still processing their deaths and still hadn¡¯t time to truly grieve them.


    Sam nodded. ¡°People will vent all their rage onto Evelyn. We might not even get the chance to actually do a trial if things devolve into a full-on riot. That kind of chaos and instability is the last thing we need right now. That¡¯s a big reason why we shouldn¡¯t have one, and should just deal with this now before people inevitably learn of her association with the Chosen. Removing her now is just the best way for everyone.¡±


    ¡°And by remove, you mean kill her. Just like that, out here away from the camp where nobody but us will know what happened?¡± Noah asked. The leader of the encampment had been quiet, but now chose this moment to join in.


    Evelyn, on the other hand, had practically sunk into her seat. Even as the subject of the conversation was about her own life or death, she seemed completely withdrawn. Though her fate was currently being decided, she was making no obvious attempt to voice her own thoughts.


    Jaco almost couldn¡¯t believe it. Was this truly the same person he met not that long ago? When Evelyn first woke up, he would have described her as fiery and confrontational. But since the attack by the Chosen, she had kept to herself. Now that trend in behavior had continued all the way to the point of diving into the deep end. He couldn¡¯t even the kind of guilt it would take to seemingly not even engage with the conversation if you¡¯d basically be executed.


    Which all the more cemented his feeling that there was more to it than what Evelyn already said. When it came to doing wrong, Jaco believed that it was just human nature to fudge the facts.


    Those who were just trying to get away with a crime would downplay their involvement. Conversely, someone who already judged themselves as guilty would only burden more responsibility onto their own shoulders. But as Jaco was having his own thoughts about this, the conversation continued.


    ¡°What else are we supposed to do then, Noah?¡± Sam asked. Her frown had only deepened. But at the same time, it was then that she decided to finally lower her wand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Both you and Alex make your own point. But I can¡¯t help but agree with Jaco on something. We live in a new world that thrives on violence, where killing results in an increase of power. This is the environment that those like the Chosen thrive in because they¡¯re fine with violence and killing being the solution to everything.¡± Noah paused to take a deep breath.


    ¡°If we wish to call ourselves different from those that live in violence, then we must maintain the self-awareness of recognizing when it¡¯s too easy of a solution. To remember that it should be a last resort when faced with no other choice, not the first. Monsters and undead are one thing, but this is something else. I agree that we can¡¯t just let Eveltyn go, and there should be consequences for her past actions. But rather than kill her on the spot, a punishment can only be properly made after we determine the crime.¡±


    Jaco breathed out a small sigh of relief. He¡¯d been afraid that he would be alone in this argument and be forced to either dig his heels in or eventually acquiesce. But it looked like Noah was of a similar mindset. And considering his position as the camp¡¯s leader, that was a very important voice to share his arguments.


    ¡°No matter what happens to me¡­¡± Evelyn began. The sudden interjection by her immediately drew everyone¡¯s dedicated attention.  ¡°But now that you¡¯re all aware of who I am, there¡¯s something important you should all know.¡±


    ¡°And what would that be?¡± Noah asked. The redhead then looked up from the ground and looked the camp¡¯s leader in the eyes.


    ¡°The final plan of Levi and the Chosen Few.¡±

 Chapter 63:

    ¡°Final plan? Just what¡¯s that supposed to mean, exactly?¡± Jaco asked. He had already leaned forward, his expression filled with curiosity.


    Evelyn glanced his way. ¡°It¡¯s more Levi¡¯s own plan than the Chosen¡¯s as a whole. I¡¯m not sure how many are fully aware of what it is, and even I only learned about it by accident. But his real goals go far beyond just gaining Levels by any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Noah remarked from his seat.


    The other people present also waited for the former Chosen to explain herself. At the same time, Sam looked like she wanted to say something in turn, but seemed to be holding herself back for the moment. Then after taking another deep breath, Evelyn continued.


    ¡°The rest of the Chosen Few are exactly how they present themselves. They¡¯re just a group of killers that just want to kill for the sake of gaining as much EXP as possible. Levi¡¯s the only thing really holding them together under an iron fist. If he wasn¡¯t there, they would have all turned on each other long ago,¡± she said.


    Jaco noted how some energy had now returned to the redhead¡¯s speech. It could have also just been his imagination, however, as the rain was starting to lighten up. So her words might just seem to be more forward now that the rain wasn¡¯t covering it up as much.


    ¡°But Levi is different from the other Chosen. He¡¯s far more¡­¡± Evelyn trailed off.


    ¡°Ambitious,¡± Sam added. ¡°He¡¯s been like that for as long as I can remember. Ever since he was younger, Levi was always good at seeing the bigger picture and thinking ahead. That kind of mindset is a big part of why he excelled at school. Along with basically anything else he ever tried, though that was also just him due to being talented at practically everything.¡±


    Huh. I think this is already the most I¡¯ve heard Sam openly talk about her brother, Jaco thought to himself. At the very least, it was definitely the most she¡¯d spoken about Levi in front of him.


    He had already been recently brought up to speed on the fact that the Chosen Few¡¯s leader was actually Sam¡¯s younger brother. Though even after learning this for the first time himself, Jaco hadn¡¯t pressed it as an issue. And to be fair, he could certainly understand why it wasn¡¯t a topic she would want to openly bring up.


    ¡°And he knew it. So even before the Apocalypse, it made him full of confidence and at times a bit of an ass,¡± Sam went on. ¡°But it was only after that he eventually went full mask off and showed who he truly was. So I can believe that he probably has some grand plan for the Chosen. Or at least it¡¯s grand in his mind, anyway.¡±


    Evelyn shook her head. ¡°Grand would be¡­ one way to describe it. But I want to say that it was during the last time that me and my team met with Levi. After the meeting though, I-¡±


    ¡°Wait a sec,¡± Alex interjected. ¡°Instead of just moving on, what was that you just said? Am I the only one that maybe thinks that this meeting shouldn¡¯t just be casually skipped over?¡±


    ¡°Alex¡­ does make a point. From the context, I imagine this major plan you want to discuss was something that took place after this meeting. But I think we can and perhaps should discuss this first,¡± Noah agreed.


    Evelyn slumped back into her seat. Though the surface had already started to become slick with mud after the last few minutes of exposure in the rain, she didn¡¯t seem to react to it. Jaco just sighed as he otherwise remained silent and observed the back and forth.


    He was personally still more curious to actually learn about the ¡°final plan¡± of the Chosen. However, Jaco felt forced to concede to the fact that this was ultimately a discussion about Evelyn¡¯s involvement with the Chosen Few. The direct mention of a meeting with their leader wasn¡¯t something that could so easily be glossed over, after all.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Evelyn said with a noticeably smaller voice. ¡°It was a check-in. Levi mandates that everyone in the Chosen regularly report back to him, or whenever he just decides to call for them.¡±


    ¡°And what does he check for, exactly?¡± Noah asked as he massaged his left temple.


    ¡°Progress. He was practically obsessed with knowing exactly how each member progresses. How many Levels they gained since the last meeting. How many kills it took for each Level Up and the average Level of everything you defeated. Whether we were gaining any new Abilities or had any other other changes to our Classes. And¡­¡± Evelyn hesitated for a few seconds. But before anyone could prod her, she then continued on her own.


    ¡°And if killing people versus monsters made any difference in Experience gained. Levi wanted to know every detail possible. Even if others within the Chosen Few normally wouldn¡¯t care for tracking everything, he made them do it anyway. Like I said, he was practically obsessed.¡±


    ¡°That does sound like Levi,¡± Sam admitted from the side.


    Noah gave her a small nod. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good to know. With that, I think we can now go back to Evelyn¡¯s original point. Unless anyone else has anything they¡¯d like to add or ask about first?¡±


    The leader of the camp looked around. Jaco simply shook his head, as others also affirmed that there was nothing else they wanted to say. So with that now settled, Evelyn was able to return to focusing on what happened after the meeting.


    ¡°Afterwards, we were meant to leave until the next check-in. But instead of immediately heading across the city with the others with me, I decided to stick around that area. It was just on a whim, but they went on ahead and I was going to catch up later. Then as I was there, I heard heavy stomping. The kind you can never unhear once you hear it for the first time,¡± Evelyn said.


    ¡°The Minotaur,¡± Jaco quickly responded. His eyes had already become narrowed. Bringing up that monster couldn¡¯t be a coincidence, could it? If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Yeah. I immediately got out of its way and hid. But then I noticed the direction it was heading toward. It was the same way I had just come from. So I decided to follow it from a safe distance, by sticking to the rooftops of nearby buildings. Then I watched as it stomped right into the same building we¡¯d been in. And right outside, almost as if he was waiting for it, Levi was standing there,¡± she explained.


    Sam leaned forward to interject, but was stopped as Noah reacted by raising a hand. He then shook his head. The indication was clear. For the time being, they should just let the former Chosen keep talking before interrupting.


    ¡°The Minotaur then stopped right in front of Levi. Then the two of them¡­ talked,¡± Evelyn said.


    Jaco¡¯s eyes immediately widened. While the Minotaur had shown itself to be more intelligent than the other monsters, not once had he considered it to be capable of speech. Not human speech, at the very least. Yet according to Evelyn¡¯s current testimony, that assumption was now being proven wrong. She then continued to speak as her hands started to visibly shake.


    ¡°That thing. I don¡¯t know how to even describe it. But the way it spoke just sounded wrong. Like it was speaking our language, but at the same time it wasn''t. It was¡­ it was¡­¡±


    ¡°Evelyn,¡± Noah said with a more gentle tone. ¡°You said that they were talking, right? Okay, so could you tell us what they talked about?¡±


    She deeply exhaled. ¡°Right, yes. There was only so much I was actually able to overhear. Without getting close enough to get caught, I only heard parts of their actual conversation. But I can say that from Levi¡¯s demeanor, it definitely wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯ve met. I don¡¯t know how long they might have known each other or in what capacity, though.¡±


    Yeah, because that¡¯s not a screaming loud red flag, Jaco thought to himself. Nothing good could come from the leader of the Chosen Few being actively associated with the Minotaur.


    ¡°But for what I could hear,¡± Evelyn continued. ¡°That monster wanted Levi¡¯s help. I couldn¡¯t hear the reasons why, but it was about an Angel. He was supposed to assist with locating the Angel and then informing the Minotaur as soon as he learned anything. Levi agreed to it and said something about compensation for him, but I couldn¡¯t hear the exact words. Only that they quickly came to an agreement and then went their separate ways.¡±


    ¡°So not only is he a murderous bastard. He¡¯s literally working with the fuckers that want to wipe us all out,¡± Jaco said. He placed his hands around the sides of his seat, crushing the material underneath with his tight grip.


    Somehow, the leader of the Chosen had managed to be an even worse person than expected. There was the figurative traitor of being one who actively killed others just for their own selfish gain. Then there was directly working alongside the forces of Hell itself.


    ¡°That is¡­ concerning,¡± Noah agreed. The Mage was now deeply rubbing both at his temples.


    ¡°Concerning. That¡¯s the hecking understatement of the century. Jaco, you¡¯re basically the only one here who actually knows what this might mean. Do you have any ideas?¡± Alex asked.


    Jaco closed his eyes and took a moment to relax. ¡°I have a couple ideas. But first¡­¡± he looked over at the other people in the meeting.


    Of those present, Alex, Sam, Noah, and Evelyn were the ones who knew the details of his infiltration of the fortress. The couple other people here were those who had fought alongside Alex, but had not been present for those past discussions. So as they looked confused, they would first need to be brought up to speed.


    ¡°Just to make sure everyone here¡¯s on the same page, I guess I should explain some things,¡± the Druid said. He then quickly began to summarize what the leadership of the camp already knew.


    Of his time in the fortress and the little girl that he encountered. How he rescued her after a grizzly battle with the Minotaur, only for her to then reveal her true nature as a Guardian Angel. And once that foundation was laid, he then proceeded to give his current thoughts.


    ¡°Their goal was clearly some kind of ritual involving the Angel. I don¡¯t know what the exact purpose would be. But when I forced my way into that pit, it almost felt like I was descending into Hell itself. That¡¯s the only way I can really describe just the kind of evil it was. Maybe it was a literal pit to Hell to transport the Angel, or maybe it was for some other equally horrible purpose,¡± Jaco said.


    ¡°Well considering that this Hell we¡¯re talking about, it was probably for something fucked up. Like if they¡¯re not just going to kill someone that part of the army they¡¯ve been fighting forever, I bet they were likely planning to do the most screwed up thing we can even imagine,¡± Alex guessed.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right to assume that.  But now here¡¯s my question. Just what is Levi¡¯s endgame here? The goal of the Demons is literally to kill us all, right? I mean all signs so far seem to indicate that. Does he think that maybe he will be spared if he acts obedient?¡± Jaco wondered.


    ¡°No way.¡± Sam shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no shot Levi would ever willingly work under someone else like that. He¡¯s always had issues with answering to authority figures. Even though he was a straight A student in class and often acted polite and nice, it was with his teachers that he occasionally did act out. After showing his true colors now, there¡¯s no world where he¡¯d go back to even pretending to listen to anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Well that just makes things even more confusing. He¡¯s clearly more than just some arrogant bastard with a death wish. Which is exactly what makes him dangerous. But the more we actually know about the full reasoning behind his plan, the better equipped we will be to counter it,¡± Jaco said.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Noah said with a nod, before he then turned back to the former Chosen. ¡° Evelyn, I realize that we¡¯ve been avoiding the issue of what to ultimately do with you. But is there anything else you can tell us about Levi¡¯s plans and his involvement with the Mintoaur. Anything at all?¡±


    ¡°All I can say for sure is that he¡¯s planning something, something big. So no matter what happens to me, that¡¯s what you all needed to know first. That while the other Chosen are just single-minded killers, Levi¡¯s unknown intentions make him far more dangerous,¡± Evelyn said.


    Jaco then opened his mouth to respond. But before he could actually do so, a golden screen appeared at the forefront of his vision.


    Warning!


    The third stage of the Apocalypse is imminent.


    Demidemons will now be able to regularly cross into this world through the Gates of Hell.


    For your own survival, seek shelter immediately.


    A sudden silence quickly enveloped the immediate area. The only sound was the rain still falling down. Everyone present was simply too shocked to say anything as they read their System notifications. But after the initial moments of surprise passed, Alex was the first one to practically jump out of his seat.


    ¡°Demidemons?! Does it mean that we¡¯re about to deal with even more Minotaurs coming over now?!¡± Alex exclaimed. He turned to the one person amongst them who had directly dealt with the Minotaur, his eyes wide with fear.


    The Druid in question was still staring at his own screen. Just the one Minotaur had taken everything he had and then some to defeat. And had it not been for the Guardian Angel¡¯s intervention, he would have died there and then. Simply recalling the still recent memories of that fierce battle was enough to make the healed injuries ache.


    ¡°Well¡­ shit,¡± Jaco cursed. An even worse idea had already infested itself into his mind. What if, just what if, these other Demidemons were new monsters potentially even stronger than the Minotaur?


    Just like that, humanity¡¯s chances of survival in the Apocalypse had once again gone from bad to worse.

 Chapter 64:

    Jaco was still trying to wrestle with the ramifications of this sudden message. Aside from their own local area, what about the rest of the world? He didn¡¯t know how the Gates of Hell were spread out. But if there was one in every major population zone like their city, then there could be Demidemons entering from who knew how many points across the planet.


    Would the people in those regions ready for that, or were they about to get steamrolled by an overwhelming force? He knew within this gut that this wasn¡¯t just a crisis for them. So he couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how many humans would even be left when the Apocalypse officially spat out its last stage.


    At the same time, Noah was the next to stand up. The leader of the camp looked around at those who were currently gathered. The shared surprise was still clear in all of their expressions.


    Everyone had received the same notification from the System. This would include those still a short distance away within the walls of the encampment itself. Who after getting agitated by the swarm of Spectres, were likely now about to get into a panic.


    ¡°We have little time to waste on staying around here. People will likely be looking for me, so I¡¯ll shortly have to go back to help calm them down. So before I go, we¡¯ll need to quickly settle things here and enact a plan of action of our own,¡± Noah said.


    Jaco leaned forward and took a deep breath. He then looked over at Alex, whose question he¡¯d yet to actually answer. After taking a moment to process his initial surprise, he tried to get his thoughts back on track.


    With a heavy exhale, Jaco attempted to look at things rationally.  ¡°It specifically said that Demidemons will be able to cross over regularly. That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we¡¯re about to be swarmed by an army of Minotaurs. Like I mentioned before, there were a few monsters called Taurlings that arrived right as I was going to be teleported out of the fort. The System also marked them as Demidemons.¡±


    ¡°So you think we¡¯re probably going to see more of those? But even they were still in the low 40s for their Levels, right? Alex asked.


    ¡°Yeah, the strongest one I saw was Level 43,¡± Jaco affirmed with a nod. ¡°Since there were three of them and only one Minotaur, at least as far as I know, I assume they''re a more common variant of Demidemon. But considering the general Level ranges of different monsters, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were Taurlings as strong as Level 45 out there.¡±


    Granted, that was just pure speculation on Jaco¡¯s part. Entire groups of Taurlings would still be extremely dangerous for basically everyone here besides himself. And that was while assuming his belief was correct. There was a very dire but real possibility that a bunch of Minotaurs were about to come through the Gates of Hell.


    Then if Jaco had to be honest with himself, he didn¡¯t like his chances against fighting a whole group of Minotaurs at once. Especially if reality decided to throw one possible cruel curveball at him. Where it could turn out that like every other monster, Minotaurs also fell into a Level range. And it turned out the one he nearly died fighting was actually on the lower end of that range¡­


    Yeah, a bunch of even higher Level Minotaurs entering the city could be considered as the worst possible scenario.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can be prepared for that sort of thing. We just don¡¯t have strength needed to defend an attack by Level 40s,¡± Sam said as she started to chew on her thumbnail.


    ¡°The Gate of Hell is at the very center of the city,¡± Noah began. ¡°Even if more Demidemons have to pass through, they shouldn¡¯t be an immediate threat. Like we¡¯ve never even seen the Taurlings outside the fortress, and the Minotaur itself was only rarely spotted. So if they stick to the fort or innermost area like before, we might be okay for the time being.¡±


    Alex shook his head. ¡°But what if they don¡¯t just sit around and nicely leave us alone? We used to believe that the higher Level undead wouldn¡¯t ever leave the city. But then Jaco and I found that Revenant. Which I will remind you, was also a Level 40 monster. So we can¡¯t assume that things will be the same as before for how far out they travel.¡±


    ¡°Should we consider moving the camp?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Between the Chosen and now this, relocating it farther out from the city might be something we should seriously consider.¡±


    Noah frowned as he stared down at the ground. The leader of the group of survivors seemed to be contemplating the idea. After a few seconds passed, he eventually sighed.


    ¡°If there ever was a time to move, it would be now. There are obviously the threats now looming over us. At the same time, there is also the fact that we¡¯re not necessarily as rooted to this spot now. We still haven¡¯t finished restoring everything after the horde¡¯s attack, so this would likely be the smoothest time to make that kind of transition. However, I¡¯ll need to discuss it with the rest of our top members first,¡± he said.


    ¡°Speaking of the Chosen,¡± one of the others present brought up. Jaco was pretty sure the dude¡¯s name started with an M, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°Any chance that they¡¯re about to be screwed over by all the Demidemons coming over? They all tend to hang out around the inner city, right?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet on it,¡± Jaco said.  ¡°Maybe that¡¯ll be the case if we get lucky. But the System stated that Demidemons are the thralls of Demons. So it¡¯s safe to assume that the Minotaur probably has some Demon master we haven¡¯t met yet. There¡¯s a chance that the Chosen¡¯s leader was just working with the Minotaur itself. But I think we should assume the worst, that there¡¯s at least one Demon or more that are the ones really behind their alliance with Levi.¡±


    Alex raised a hand. ¡°But maybe since you killed the Minotaur, that might have thrown a wrench if things. Or even if it didn¡¯t, their deal might not apply to the rest of the Chosen Few. Evelyn just said she only found out by chance, after all. So maybe the other members are also unaware of what¡¯s going on and could fight the Demidemons, letting them take each other out.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Jaco replied with a shrug. ¡°However, once again, I think it¡¯ll be safer to assume the worst case scenario. One where maybe Levi¡¯s deal included protection for the other Chosen, whether or not they¡¯re actually aware of it.¡±


    Noah nodded. ¡°I say that we should act with an abundance of caution. I¡¯d rather we assume that the rest of the Chosen Few and these new Demidemons are working directly together, and will attack us as a combined force. Even if our fears prove to be unfounded, it¡¯ll still be the most beneficial thing for us to do. If we prepare for the very worst thing imaginable, then anything else will be all the easier to deal with.¡± Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°Hmm. Before anything else, there¡¯s actually something I want to check. Be right back,¡± Jaco said as he had an idea. At that moment, his form began to shift and shrink down. Until just a few seconds later, a hawk flew up and soared into the air.


    Now high in the sky, Jaco could peer across the landscape. Earlier, the heavy downpour of rain would have obstructed his vision. But now that the rainfall had lessened by quite a bit, he was currently able to see the city.


    The first stage of the Apocalypse had been marked by a large explosion that brought pure devastation. Then the second stage was an earthquake that further changed the city through the construction of the giant fortress and its outer structures. Both of these things were events that were seen and felt even from miles away. But what about the third stage?


    Well that¡¯s where things quickly seemed amiss. While they had received the notification warning them about it, they hadn¡¯t felt any shaking or anything like that from the ground. And now starting at the city while flying in the air, Jaco was currently scanning it for any obvious differences. No matter where he looked, nothing new seemed to stand out to him.


    Well, that¡¯s somehow even more concerning, Jaco thought to himself. His hawk eyes were narrowed as he took another look at everything within sight.


    He even flew up a bit higher just to try and adjust his angle. But even with that, the visual evidence remained the same. The city still looked exactly the same as it had before the warning about the third stage. In fact, the ruins of the city almost looked picturesque with the rain. In a bleak, post-apocalyptic sort of way, anyway.


    With that now confirmed, the hawk then flew back down. He shifted into his regular body, and started to explain his findings to the others. And as they heard his description of how the city itself remained seemingly unchanged, their concerns also grew. Noah rubbed at his forehead, his eyes closed with obvious stress. But before he or anyone else said anything, Jaco was the first to speak up again with another idea.


    ¡°I should head over there and check things out. I think we can all tell from our conversation just now that we¡¯re just going off assumptions and speculation. But what we really need most right now is concrete information. And now there¡¯s no way to get that unless I personally go over to the inner city to see how things have changed for myself,¡± Jaco said.


    He didn¡¯t directly admit it out loud, but Jaco had his own method to find out more. Thanks to his Secondary Class, he had gained an awareness of the Devil¡¯s Essence. The same kind of energy he sure enshrouded the city in its aura. Personally going over there would potentially allow him an unique insight into how the third stage impacted this Hellish energy.


    Noah opened his eyes and gave the Druid a reserved look. He grimaced, but then seemed to settle whatever internal debate was going on in his mind.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he slowly said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, since we¡¯d be losing our strongest fighter. Then there¡¯s the fact that it could be dangerous even for you. Even if we had others at your Level, I would say the risk would still be too great. But if anyone could still beat the odds in spite of the danger, it¡¯d be you, Jaco. And you¡¯re right in that we¡¯re just stumbling in the dark, so it might be the best move for now. ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going with Jaco,¡± Evelyn piped up. The Druid turned her way, and saw her expression. It was set, with her eyes focused and narrowed. She was clearly certain about this and would have a hard time taking no for an answer, from what he could judge.


    As the only other person here with a Class Evolution beside him, her chances would be better than most. Especially since her build seemed to be focused around speed. So if things get dicey, she would be well equipped to simply retreat. Jaco glanced at the camp¡¯s leader, who nodded after a moment.


    ¡°To be honest, it would make things easier on us if she went with you. It would admittedly be just kicking the problem down the road. But we likely need more time to settle on what to do with her in regards to her membership with the Chosen. Especially now that we have arguably more pressing matters with the coming Demidemons,¡± Noah said.


    And so it was decided. Jaco and Evelyn would be the duo who entered into the city on their own. Their mission would be one of reconnaissance, to see exactly what other potential changes were brought by the third stage of the Apocalypse.


    In the meantime, the other elites of the encampment would stay behind to defend it. They would potentially even begin the process of relocating it, if deemed necessary. Though with how many people and supplies would be involved, it would take some time even if they immediately started to move.


    Jaco and Evelyn soon put the camp to their backs. With no time to waste, they had already set off on their mission. But as the two of them walked away, he heard something. From the camp¡¯s direction, someone was currently running toward them. The Druid stopped to turn around and see who it might be.


    ¡°Hold up!¡± Sam called as she ran toward them.


    ¡°Sam?¡± Jaco asked aloud. He wasn¡¯t sure who he had expected, but she wouldn¡¯t have been his first choice. Which begged the question: what did she need? Was there something important that they needed to know before leaving or something?


    The Mage soon caught up. Though after sprinting the whole way at full speed, she then needed a moment to catch her breath. After taking a breather while bent forward and resting hands against her knees, Sam straightened.


    ¡°Haah, okay. After thinking about it, I¡¯ve decided to come with you. And I¡¯ve already informed Noah right before I left. So my absence won¡¯t be missed,¡± she said.


    Jaco couldn¡¯t help but raise a brow. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but are you sure about this? No offense Sam, but you don¡¯t have a Class Evolution yet. Even Evelyn who does might have a hard time if there really are a bunch of Level 40 monsters running around. I won¡¯t stop you. But I just want to make sure you really understand the dangers involved.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. But I have my own reasons for why I need to come along. I¡¯m ready to accept the risk that I¡¯m biting off more than I can chew,¡± Sam affirmed. She crossed her arms as she maintained eye contact.


    Jaco noted that she hadn¡¯t said what those reasons of her own actually were. But he figured that if she was going to explain further, she would have already done so. And that prying further likely wouldn¡¯t get anything out of her.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re sure,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll still do my best to handle anything that¡¯s too high Level for both of you. However, anything can happen. So as long as you¡¯re still fine with that, then we might as well get going.¡±


    With that, he resumed his walk. Still sure of her decision, Sam immediately followed suit. The duo had turned into a trio, and they set off for their mission.


    ¡ª--


    Far beyond any person¡¯s sight, a winged girl stared down at the world below. Her heavenly wings gracefully flapped in the air as she steadily flew through the air. So high up was she, that even a hawk that looked up would be unable to see a hint of her presence.


    For now, the Angel simply watched the currently ongoing events. Though out of everything taking place, her attention was focused on one man in particular. Of course, it was the Druid. Who she observed as he and his two companions made their way toward the ruined city.


    ¡°Creator, I cannot help but be curious about this man¡¯s fate. Was it truly a mere coincidence that he was present to save me at that time, or was it part of a grander destiny of your design? Whatever the cast, I wish to observe how his fate will unfold from now on.¡±


    She could only hope that he would remain ready for the challenges ahead.

 Chapter 65:

    Jaco, Evelyn, and Sam walked alongside the road as they made their way toward the city. While they were walking, Jaco actually stayed a few steps behind the other two. For in the time it was taking for them to travel, there actually was something else that was temporarily occupying part of his attention.


    Currently held between the Druid¡¯s hand was his Cloak of Lesser Protection. For the mission ahead, he wanted to ensure that it was fully charged and ready for the challenges they might face. Though truthfully, Jaco wasn¡¯t quite as confident in the cloak¡¯s capabilities as he used to be. At least when it came to its future ability to handle threats that will just keep being higher and higher in Level with time.


    It had done good for him so far at tanking for the first couple of big hits before he had to. But he wasn¡¯t quite sure where its limits would be before it simply became like a paper wall. One that technically still absorbed a bit of impact in his stead, but not really by much at all.


    Against the Minotaur, his cloak had been uncharged due to time constraints. So it never had the chance to even try to test itself against its attacks. That was why he didn¡¯t know how it would perform against the hit of any other Demidemons near or equal to it in power.


    But who knows, perhaps at some point he¡¯ll be able to find an upgraded version of the artifact as a replacement. It was called the Lesser Cloak of Protection, after all. So one could logically assume that similar to the Lesser Revenant and Revenant, this might follow the same pattern. In the meantime, however, he¡¯d just continue to rely on his cloak in conjunction with his other defensive Abilities.


    While they were moving, the three of them did encounter some minor delays. But it was nothing that required Jaco¡¯s involvement and needed him to stop recharging the cloak. All it was just more undead roaming the area between the city and the encampment. Fortunately for them, these were just the regular ones such as the Skeletons and not another case of Black Skeletons and the Revenant showing up. At least not yet.


    These encounters didn¡¯t require them to stop moving, at the very least. For as soon as the Skeletons entered their line of sight, Sam was able to blast them away with her magic. Something which Jaco had no problem with, since she was the lowest Level member of their small party. So she¡¯d be a lot better off getting as much EXP as possible to eventually reach her Class Evolution.


    When Jaco finished his work with the cloak, he put it back on. Some time had already passed by now. So it wouldn¡¯t be much longer until they soon reached their intended destination.  As they kept moving, once again, another small group of undead approached them from the side. There were around half a dozen Skeletons, one of which was a Skeleton Mage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of these ones,¡± Sam said as she readied her wand.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already been calling all of them. You don¡¯t need to keep pointing it out,¡± Evelyn remarked. The Mage turned back to her with a glowered expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be polite, even though some of us clearly need the Experience more than others,¡± Sam retorted. She then stomped ahead to unleash her magic and deal with the undead.


    Jaco simply shook his head, but didn¡¯t say anything. He just wanted to reach the city and see what was going on with the Gate of Hell. A part of him had already felt that Sam and Evelyn could likely end up a bad pairing, considering everything. But when both of them independently insisted on coming along, what was one meant to do?


    Meanwhile, the Skeleton Mage threw out icicles at the woman attacking it. Though with Sam getting in the first hit as the opening attack, part of its body was already damaged. She managed to dodge the icicle by jumping to the side. But while moving, Sam pointed her wand at the air and shot out a ball of condensed Mana. One that quickly broke into a hail of smaller bolts as soon as it had flown right above the Skeleton¡¯s head.


    The undead tried to react by mounting a defense. It created a wall of reinforced ice above itself that would aim to block the magical bolts. Yet while it was forced to focus on that one action, another attack was already flying straight for its skull.


    A few moments later, Sam was walking back toward them. She barely seemed to spare the former Chosen a glance, but nodded at Jaco.


    ¡°Another Level Up?¡± he asked. From the satisfied expression on her face, he assumed so.


    ¡°Yep,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That one managed to push me to 25. But I think that now just about puts me on the edge of their Level range. There aren¡¯t really any undead in the high 20s, right? It just jumps straight to the 30s with those Lesser Revenants you¡¯ve encountered?¡±


    ¡°Generally speaking, yes. Though even the basic Skeletons that never reach Level 10 were in the 20s when I was inside the fortress. So you never know what things might look like now in the third stage,¡± Jaco said.


    ¡°You can always head back early if things get too rough for you to handle,¡± Evelyn added from the side. To which Sam immediately turned with a glare, and Jaco already knew what was about to happen next.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to handle myself just fine, thank you very much. I can always avoid anything too dangerous and just on gaining Levels. But more than the monsters, I¡¯m more concerned about if a certain someone will eventually decide to stab me in the back for some quick Experience,¡± she said while already turning back away.


    But as Sam had turned, she didn¡¯t see the way Evelyn had flinched back with that last statement. And how the redhead rapidly blinked as she looked down at the ground, silent.


    Well shit. This actually might eventually turn into a problem, Jaco thought to himself. Though the back and forth ended there, the friction obviously remained as they continued their walk. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Eventually, the three of them arrived at the outskirts of their destination. For their first order of business, they had decided to approach from an angle that was at a higher elevation. This way they would be able to observe the city from the high ground and get a better view of things from a safe distance. Yet even from just the outer edges, Jaco could already feel one difference.


    Yeah, there¡¯s definitely been a change to the feel of this Hellish aura covering everything. I can¡¯t put my finger on exactly how it¡¯s different though. Only that something about it¡¯s shifted from how it was before, he thought to himself.


    It was this indescribable difference that made the Druid hesitate to simply change into a hawk and fly up. Doing so would have allowed him to easily get a literal bird¡¯s eye view of the city. But being the only bird in the entire sky felt like an exposed position. Exposed to what exactly, he couldn¡¯t say. However, his gut instincts just told him that doing so now would be a bad idea.


    The trio then continued to move on foot toward a good spot to observe the city from. They climbed up to a high position, one that allowed them to see the streets below that led deeper in. Once upon a time, such a thing would have been impossible with all the buildings that blocked the way. But with many of them now either completely destroyed or reduced in size, things were different.


    With his enhanced vision, the Druid quickly began to scan the area. His eyes quickly widened though at the monsters he saw patrolling the streets. They weren¡¯t Skeletons, Ghouls, nor any other kind of undead. Instead, what he saw were the familiar creatures with vaguely humanoid forms with largely bullish features.


    Just from where they stood, he was already able to see well over a dozen Demidemons. The majority of which were the smaller Taurlings. However, mixed in were a couple of Minotaurs as well that seemed to be taking charge and ordering the weaker Demidemons around.


    ¡°Well shit, that pair are definitely Minotaurs,¡± Sam said from beside him. She had to squint, and even then the monsters were likely too far for her to clearly see them. But with how large and distinct the forms of the Minotaurs were, she¡¯d still be able to recognize what she was looking at.


    ¡°Mhmm, it¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t just walk straight in there. But I think we¡¯ll be fine as-¡± Jaco¡¯s words were cut off as he saw something moving in the corner of his vision. He turned up to the air to see what was flying through the sky, heading right in the direction of the fort. Upon seeing it, his mouth dumbly widened.


    ¡°Jaco?¡± Sam asked with a frown. She was clearly worried about his sudden reaction, but he barely even heard her.


    The monster was too far for him to identify it with the System. But he didn¡¯t need the confirmation to know exactly what he was looking at. Even from this distance, just seeing its far off back had been enough to run his blood ice cold.


    It was big, easily as large as a Minotaur if not even bigger. Its glistening red skin only seemed all the more gross while under the once again orange-red light from the clouds above. The monster¡¯s three pairs of leathery, bat-like wings flapped through the air as it flew. With their size and number, they prevented him from seeing more abouts its body.


    He¡¯d seen plenty of them within the murals of the fort¡¯s chamber. So though they¡¯d been shown to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, Jaco could still recognize it. Heck, even without the murals, common sense would have likely been enough to point toward the same conclusion anyway.


    ¡°There¡¯s a Demon flying straight for the fort. An actual, bonafide Demon,¡± Jaco said with no small amount of legitimate fear. His voice was hushed, as if the monster from Hell would somehow be able to hear him even from this far away.


    Both Sam and Evelyn¡¯s widened. The former glanced in the direction they had just been looking at, and then back at the Druid. While the latter just tried to swallow, but seemed to struggle as she visibly paled.


    ¡°There¡¯s now way we¡¯re going anywhere near the city center, right?¡± Evelyn then asked.


    Jaco pressed his lips together as he was unsure how to respond. On one hand, their goal was to investigate the changes to the Gate of Hell brought by the third stage. Something which could only be done by going as close as possible to the crater where the giant fortress was built. But that was just one part of him that wanted to push ahead, which was a small voice compared to both the survival instincts and common sense screaming over it.


    Their fears were certainly well founded. Jaco especially knew just how bad this could potentially be. Not just for the three of them now, but also for every survivor in the entire local region. When he fought the Minotaur, it¡¯d been Level 50 while he was at Level 38.


    A gap of a dozen Levels, something which he¡¯d only been able to make up for by turning his body into a toxic cocktail of Hell Elixirs and Potions. And even then, it had been a rather close fight and could have easily swung the Minotaur¡¯s way had he screwed up at any point.


    But how strong was the Demon in comparison? Without being close to check its Level with the System, it was hard to say for certain. However, it felt safe to assume that it could be Level 60. Though that could be a lowball, and it could just as easily be even higher than that. Though even assuming it was actually Level 60, there was no way in Hell that Jaco would be able to win that battle. Trying to take on the Demon by himself would almost certainly be a one-sided slaughter where it tore him apart limb from limb.


    If it was Level 64, hypothetically, then that would put it a whole 20 Levels above him. The extra Stats from his Secondary Class and the 17 Level he¡¯s gained it would partially make up for that. But he wasn¡¯t nearly delusional enough to think that it¡¯d be anywhere near enough to actually matter.


    Even with the Potions and Hell Elixirs still inside his Bag of Holding, Jaco had little confidence in thinking they would be enough either. The benefit of gaining the Devil¡¯s Essence for himself meant he should be able to now use the Infernal artifacts without causing him pain or killing him from within. Yet even taking that positive into account, he doubted that it would make a real difference.


    Both Sam and Evelyn would effectively just be cannon fodder in the face of that Demon. If they tried to help, anyway. Jaco wouldn¡¯t ask such a thing of them, not when it would mean a guaranteed and otherwise avoidable death.


    ¡°There is a problem,¡± Jaco then said after dealing with his own thoughts. ¡°The System notification only mentioned that Demidemons would be able to commonly come over. It said nothing about any actual Demons as well. There¡¯s just too much that we don¡¯t know, especially for something as important as this.¡±


    Sam frowned. ¡°What are we supposed to do then? Keep going and learn more? Or immediately head back and just let the others know about the Demon?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s a good question,¡± he admitted.


    There was always the possibility that they could find out more info without running into the Demon. And frankly, the number of Demidemons that were around would act as a wonderful farm of Experience Points to quickly boost his Levels. But the longer they stuck around, went deeper in, or made any big movements like fighting, the higher the chances of getting the Demon¡¯s attention.


    It was a big decision that they would need to make now. And as the person who was effectively the one in charge, it seemed Jaco was going to have to be the one to make it.

 Chapter 66:

    ¡°We¡¯re going to keep heading deeper in,¡± Jaco ultimately decided. He looked between his two companions and could clearly still see their hesitant expressions. But before either of them could say anything in protest, he continued with the intent to further explain his reasoning.


    ¡°I know. It¡¯ll be incredibly dangerous, and for that, I honestly won¡¯t blame either of you if you decide to head back to the camp. But I¡¯ll be staying here and pressing forward either way. That Demon is terrifying, but it just went over to the fortress. Since it seems to prefer flying, that¡¯ll at least make it obvious to see whenever it decides to leave. So there¡¯s that as a small comfort, at least,¡± he said.


    ¡°What about Levi and the other members of the Chosen Few?¡± Evelyn asked.


    ¡°They will also be a potential threat,¡± Jaco admitted with a nod. ¡°But they¡¯re also part of why we need to stick around and learn more. Like if that deal Levi made with the Minotaur is still ongoing and if he¡¯s now working directly under that Demon. Or if it fell through and the Chosen are actually being screwed by the Demidemons for keeping their base close to the Gate of Hell. Or at least I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s somewhere near there?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t something that had actually come up with the earlier discussion with the others as they sat outside the camp. But as a sudden thought that had just come to him, it¡¯d be a good thing to note. Especially since they would currently be in the area, making the information more immediately relevant.


    ¡°Generally speaking. It moves around quite a bit and doesn¡¯t really fall into any strict pattern of where or when the next one will be. The only thing I can say is that you can think of Levi himself as the actual base. Like for a meeting, it¡¯s always where he currently is or soon plans to be for a while,¡± Evelyn explained.


    ¡°Any idea where he might be now, then?¡±


    The former Chosen apologetically shook her head. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t have a clue. Even at the time, it always felt like he randomly moved around on purpose. I guess Levi didn¡¯t want anyone knowing where he was until he actually wanted them to know.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, I just figured I should ask anyway. But anyway, my point still stands that this will be our best chance to learn more. At the very least, the Chosen Few will definitely still need to adjust to the changes that have come from all these Demidemons coming over. Who themselves are likely still exploring the city for the first time, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think I see what you mean now,¡± Sam began. ¡°The long we wait to explore, the more dangerous it¡¯ll become. Since they¡¯ve only been coming through for as long as the warning came from the System. So they¡¯re probably not very organized yet.¡±


    Jaco nodded. ¡°Mhmm. While it might be safer for us to go back and regroup at the camp. The longer we wait, the more time the Demidemons will have to get used to their new surroundings. I believe that this is probably as good a time as we¡¯ll get to investigate. However¡­¡± he looked between the two of them.


    ¡°Like I just said before, I¡¯m going in now, no matter what. But you guys don¡¯t have to come along. So if you do want to head back, this is your last chance. We¡¯d go around to another side without any Demidemons immediately nearby. Even then, it¡¯ll still be dangerous. So what¡¯s it going to be?¡± Jaco asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± Evelyn answered with practically no hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d rather be out here and make myself useful, than just stay behind. At least by helping you out, I would be doing some good.¡±


    There was a resolute look behind the redhead¡¯s eyes. When Jaco met her gaze, his gut told him that it was the expression of someone with the determination to atone for their sins. The decision to decide Evelyn¡¯s fade had ultimately been an indecisive one. So in lieu of actual judgment, it wasn¡¯t a stretch to believe that this was the alternative atonement she currently sought.


    At the former Chosen¡¯s hip was her blade. Right as they had been passing by the camp on their way to the city, she had quickly gone to grab it. With one hand resting on the hilt, Evelyn was equipped to fight.


    It was a stark contrast from the person who¡¯d just earlier been unwilling to even fight back against the swarm of Spectres. Haunted by her past, she had simply been unable to gather the will to fight and had instead wished for her own death. Though with how little time had actually passed since then, Jaco was a bit uncertain about the stability of her mental state.


    To go from willing to die to ready to fight was a pretty big leap to make. While the latter would definitely be more preferable in this case, who knew if she might suddenly jump back for the former. However, Jaco would be lying if he claimed to be any sort of expert on mental health. Especially so in their post-System world, where many people have dramatically changed in both mind and body over these last two months.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jaco then said. ¡°And you, Sam?¡±


    The Mage took a bit longer to give her own answer. Sam¡¯s lips were pursed together as she was deep in thought, clearly conflicted. But after a few more moments passed in silence, her gaze then sharpened. She looked up at Jaco from the floor, her mind now made up.


    ¡°I¡¯m already here. If I go back now, I don¡¯t know when my next chance will be to leave my responsibilities at the camp behind. This might be my only chance to gain Experience and get stronger. Maybe even enough to actually reach Level 30,¡± Sam said.


    ¡°Okay then, I guess that settles that. In that case, let¡¯s go ahead and find a better spot to enter the city from. Preferably somewhere that doesn¡¯t quite have as many Demidemons roaming around.¡±


    Sam and Evelyn following close behind, Jaco took the lead. The Druid was able to effectively scout out the area by going ahead on his own at times. Thanks to his superior vision and higher Stats, it was easy for him to quickly get a lay of the land. With the threat of a flying Demon still in the back of his mind, Jaco was hesitant to transform into a hawk and take to the skies. Getting to the top of one of the taller buildings around for a vantage point, however, was a different story.


    He would repeatedly separate from his two companions to hurriedly get to one of these high points and then take a look around. The first couple of times only showed him more of the same. That they were Demidemons moving about on the streets, which made it a no-go zone for Sam and Evelyn. Jaco didn¡¯t want to take the risk of them taking even a single blow from a Demidemon, if he could otherwise avoid such a scenario. With the Level gap and the fact that neither of them were focused on Endurance, even one direct hit would almost definitely be fatal.


    As Jaco climbed up to the top of another structure, it seemed that the third time would be the charm. It was still just the outer region of the city, so nothing could be certain when it came to going further in. However, at least from what he could tell, there weren¡¯t any Demidemons currently in sight. So going around the city¡¯s perimeter and entering from this side looked like it would be their safest bet.


    I do spot a few Skeletons though, and can already see a couple Ghouls from here. Eh, they shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Ghouls are tough and pretty hard to kill for their Level, but Sam already out Levels them by a good bit. She should have enough firepower to just overwhelm them before they can even get close enough to retaliate, Jaco thought to himself. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    From this section of the city, they should be far enough from the Demidemons to not attract them. So even if they started getting noisy by fighting off the undead, it shouldn¡¯t prove to be an issue in that department. As long as it got closer to her Class Evolution, all Jaco could see was the positive benefit of EXP farming from entering this way.


    However, as he was looking around the area, something else did catch his eye. A singular building that was only in slightly better shape than its immediate neighbors. But enough so for the Druid to recognize it as a retirement home. And upon spotting it, Jaco¡¯s mind immediately went to thoughts of his parents. The expression on his face had been one of simple focus on the current mission at hand. But that now fell away into a sullen look as his lips twisted downward.


    It¡¯d been a while since he last thought about his parents. Whether or not they were even still alive, or if perhaps they were dealing with their own struggles. It wasn¡¯t something Jaco could actually do anything about, however, so it was a subject he intentionally tried not to think about. Though in moments like these where there was an active reminder, he didn¡¯t get much of a choice in that.


    With a heavy sigh, Jaco straightened his back and shook his head. He tried to dismiss his dour expression, and replace it with a brave face. For the time being, he just needed to continue to concentrate on the problems that were actually in front of him. In this kind of environment, allowing himself to remain distracted would only be to his own detriment.


    Jaco made his way back down to ground level, where Sam and Evelyn were already waiting for him. He then shared his findings about the lack of Demidemons in the area ahead of them. So to nobody¡¯s surprise, their assent to go in from that way was a unanimous decision.


    Though as they began to walk, Jaco couldn¡¯t help but make an observation. One relevant to both himself and his pair of companions. They were like the three musketeers of personal issues weighing them down.


    Evelyn with her recent past as a former member of the Chosen Few and everything she regretted doing while under them. Then there was Sam, whose own younger brother was the leader of the Chosen. Finally you had Jaco, who was the expectation in that his own issues didn¡¯t directly revolve around the Chosen.


    But he now just been reminded of the idea that his own family was very likely dead. And that he would almost definitely never be able to find out one way or the other with any kind of certainty. Due to the unlikely chances of anyone actually knowing their current status even if he made the journey to where they lived across the country, thanks to the Apocalypse¡¯s changes to the world.


    Well this is just great. We¡¯re all about to head into a city now infested with Demidemons while each dealing with our own load of emotional baggage. Yaaaaay, Jaco dryly thought to himself.


    On that positive note, the trio finally and properly entered the city. As they did so, Jaco actually made the conscious decision to hand back by several steps. They walked together in a line. With Jaco in the back, Evelyn in the middle, and then Sam being the one to now take the lead.


    This way, Sam would be in the prime position to engage any foes they encountered and claim the Experience for herself. Evelyn would be right behind her, able to quickly assist as necessary with her high focus on speed. While Jaco would be able to keep an eye on things, while also being able to easily protect their rear from anything trying to sneak up from behind.


    The first undead they encountered was the group of Skeletons. They were largely just the regular variety, with one Warrior mixed in. As such, Sam was effectively able to just breeze right through them with no trouble at all. Taking them out took so little time that Jaco hadn¡¯t even needed to pause, and had just been able to maintain his walking pace.


    ¡°Pair of Ghouls right around the next corner. Sounds like they¡¯re about to turn into us, so get ready for that,¡± Jaco commented. Sam glanced back at him and simply nodded, before turning back to face the coming Ghouls.


    As she readied her wand, Jaco also got ready. A Ghoul¡¯s scream was loud. Enough so that even if there weren¡¯t any Demidemons in the immediate vicinity, the risk of any hearing that cry was a real one. It would be up to Sam to kill them before it came to that. But just in case, the Druid silently prepared himself.


    Having already gathered her Mana, Sam was able to react the moment the Ghouls moved around the corner. Before they even had the chance to look their way, swiftly moving bolts of Mana were already flying through the air.


    All the bolts were honed in one the first of the Ghouls. Each of them slammed straight into its head, rapidly rendering its skull into a splatter of mush. As the first Ghoul¡¯s body fell to the ground, however, the other one had already begun to rear its head back. Jaco quickly responded by raising his arm, ready to interrupt the coming scream with a fire beam.


    Before he could do so though, Sam was already reacting. Wisps of Mana were still housed in the skull of the first Ghoul. But with a simple flick of the wrist, the Mage commanded them to fly back out and coalesce back into a solid bolt mid-air. One that then slammed itself straight into the open mouth of the second Ghoul. The force of the blow knocked the undead off balance, making it fall backward into the street.


    As it then tried to stand up back, Sam saw to it that it wouldn¡¯t be able to regain its bearing. The moment the Ghoul lifted its head off the ground, another series of Mana bolts were already darting right for it. And with their aim true, the undead¡¯s head then turned into a second splattering of meat and bone sprayed across the ground.


    The Mage lowered her wand, and released a sigh of relief. She wiped her sleeve against the forehead before turning back to Jaco. While Sam did look a bit winded, she wore a satisfied and victorious smile on her face.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t sure I actually had the Stats to pull that off. Been thinking about that trick for a bit now, but I wasn¡¯t sure if my Will was up for it yet,¡± Sam admitted.


    ¡°Being able to reuse the leftover energy of your attack does seem pretty useful,¡± Jaco said with a nod. ¡°But did that fight manage to gain you another Level?¡±


    Sam shook her head. ¡°No, sadly not. I don¡¯t think Ghouls will really be productive on that front anymore. Only Skeleton Mages will be worth the EXP, or at least more than just one or two Ghouls. Which is a weird thought, now that I¡¯m thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How so?¡± Jaco asked.


    ¡°Hmm, just the idea that Ghouls not really being worth the Experience. Like it wasn¡¯t that long ago that just fighting them on my own felt like a really risky idea. And now I just managed to take two down before they could even react.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the benefit of a higher Level,¡± Evelyn chimed in. ¡°Against monsters, each and every Level before your Class Evolution makes a noticeable difference. It¡¯s why you can put up a decent fight even while a few Levels under them. So then being over them by the same amount reasonably means that what would have been a tough fight before quickly turns into an easy one instead.¡±


    On that note, the three of them then moved on. They didn¡¯t really have the luxury to stand around and enjoy idle chatter, after all. However, Jaco didn¡¯t believe they were any other undead close by. At least none that he saw earlier. But at least that meant Sam would have the time to regain at least some of her spent Mana.


    For the next several minutes, they moved deeper through the outskirts of the city in relative peace. Each step took them deeper and deeper in. And as they were power walking with a pace that was already much faster than the pre-System average, they were actually moving at a pretty good speed. Even with Sam being the slowest with her Stats as a Mage, she would have easily outpaced any human before the Apocalypse.


    However, it was as they were currently moving that Jaco then came to a sudden stop. His gaze narrowed, as he focused on a noise he just managed to pick up. One that was coming from their left. His eyes widened with alarm upon hearing the sound of heavy hoofbeats stomping against the ground. Hoofbeats that were coming almost directly their way, and were by no means doing so slowly.


    ¡°Fuck! We need to move, now!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°There¡¯s a Minotaur heading right for us! It¡¯ll be here any minute!¡±


    Both Sam and Evelyn visibly paled. Neither said anything, but they were already prepared to follow the Druid¡¯s lead. Fortunately, they did have time to get out of the Minotaur¡¯s way.


    Being on their left side meant it was on the opposite of the buildings next to them. So in the time it¡¯d take for it to get to the next intersection, they could-


    At that moment, there was a thunderous boom. The building just a couple dozen feet away from them exploded into a cascade of stone shrapnel. Stepping out of the small cloud of dust, the Minotaur¡¯s greataxe lowered to its side. Though before any of them could react, its head turned, and the monster''s red eyes met their gazes.


    Minotaur (Demidemon)


    Level: 49


    ¡°Well¡­ shit,¡± Jaco muttered. With the Demidemon now staring them down, trying to run would just mean exposing their backs to it. Something that would be especially bad if it had any ranged attacks.


    Which meant there was just one thing they could do now. It was officially do or die time.

 Chapter 67:

    Out of everyone present, monster included, the Druid was the quickest to react. The instant he¡¯d made the realization that they would have to fight, his hand had already started to reach into his Bag of Holding. The benefit of the artifact was that it was tied to him and his desires. There was no need to rummage around and actively search for the items he wanted to pull out. Instead, Jaco¡¯s fingers quickly found what he was intending to find the moment they entered the pocket space.


    He hurriedly pulled out a pair of metal containers, one right after the other. They were two of the six remaining Elixirs that Jaco had taken during his infiltration of the fort.


    Hell Elixir of Supreme Might (Infernal, Consumable Artifact)


    The liquid within this elixir greatly increases the physical strength of the consumer for a short while. The duration and effectiveness of this effect varies with how much of this artifact¡¯s contents is consumed at a time.


    Due to being created in Hell, however, consuming this artifact carries a potentially deadly side effect for humans.


    Hell Elixir of Living Steel (Infernal, Consumable Artifact)


    The liquid within this elixir greatly increases the toughness and endurance of the consumer for a short while. The duration and effectiveness of this effect varies with how much of this artifact¡¯s contents is consumed at a time.


    Due to being created in Hell, however, consuming this artifact carries a potentially deadly side effect for humans.


    For just a fraction of a second, Jaco hesitated. Potions had been found around the inner city. And from what he knew about the work being done by the survivors in the camp, there was potential in them or similarly effective items eventually being created. The Hell Elixirs, however, were a different story.


    There was no guarantee that he¡¯d be able to get any more. Jaco didn¡¯t know if there was another armory in the fortress that he had simply missed. His exploration had been rather limited to one section, and the entire thing was quite large. But there could just easily be more armories as there were none. So for all intents and purposes, until proven otherwise, the Hell Elixirs were currently a very limited resource.


    Jaco didn¡¯t necessarily need to use two of them up now, after all. On paper, there was a five Level gap between him and the Minotaur. But that was without counting the Stats provided by his Secondary Class, with both the boost and Modifications that had added up for 17 Levels now. With that in mind, there was every possibility that he didn¡¯t require any consumables to win this fight. However, all that was from the perspective of him just fighting alone like he usually did.


    But right now, he wasn¡¯t alone. Standing beside him were two people, one of which had yet to even reach her Class Evolution. Either way, as neither of them had focused on Endurance, he wasn¡¯t sure if they could take even a single hit. Sam as a Mage could be considered especially vulnerable, as at least Evelyn had her high Agility to make getting hit at all less likely.


    His sense of responsibility quickly killed off that bit of hesitation. Jaco then quickly down the pair of elixirs, one right after the other. As for why he¡¯d only grabbed two instead of all three types? Because he had a gut feeling that the Minotaur would only give him time to down two. So between the options, he¡¯d rather take the ones that would allow him to perform the role of a tank to keep the Minotuar¡¯s attention.


    And his gut feeling once again proved to be correct. For the moment the last drops of the second elixir went down his throat, the Demidemon roared. With its greataxe raised, it then charged straight for them. But just a second later, the Druid charged forward in turn in order to meet it head on.


    While he moved, Jaco¡¯s body was already shifting as he assumed his bear form. Behind him, he trusted that Sam and Evelyn had already both begun to react accordingly. He would just need to be the meat shield that could stay in their enemy¡¯s face.


    As long as he did that much and constantly made himself out to be the biggest threat, it should just ignore them even as they attacked. It only made sense that it would ignore any lesser injuries from them, and instead focus on him as his claws and teeth should legitimately be able to seriously harm it.


    Yet while his plan sounded good on paper, something quickly felt off. Jaco¡¯s instincts then yelled of danger, but it was too late to slow down the momentum of his charge. In that moment, there was a gleam of light from the Minotaur¡¯s greataxe. Jaco quickly reacted to identify it, and learned too late just what the weapon actually was.


    Hell Greataxe of Greater Force


    Before it even collided with him, the Minotaur swung its artifact. It moved in a horizontal arc, perpendicular to the Druid that was still several feet away. But Jaco could only curse his recklessness as a torrent of air then slammed into him.


    There was the noise like shattering glass, as the magic from his Lesser Cloak of Protection was already broken. Pure unadulterated force created a blast that then managed to easily lift even his heavy body off the street.


    Son of a-! Jaco cursed as he was sent flying. He tried to use his control of air to stabilize himself or at least cancel out the torrent. But it was to no avail. This wasn¡¯t like taking control of the Chosen¡¯s fireball and turning it around


    Nothing about this was actually related to air magic, the torrent was just a secondary result. Jaco had the suspicion that even if they¡¯d been in a vacuum, the force alone would have produced the same result. Even with the gap that had been between them, that was just the kind of power the artifact had.


    Sent straight backward, the large bear shot right past the two people that had been behind him. The blast had been a slight angle, one that also made him go upward. But even as he went past them, his momentum had yet to even slow down by the slightest. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    50 feet. 100 feet. 200 feet. Jaco just kept flying further and further back. Now approximately 30 feet up in the air as well, he still just kept going. His fangs were bared with frustration as he once again cursed himself for running straight into this.


    Jaco knew that of all his transformations, the hawk form was the most attuned to air. Through it, perhaps he could make use of the heavy wind around him and turn it to his advantage. That way he could perhaps actually manage to counteract the force flinging him away. Even if it wasn¡¯t the wind causing it, it could still be the solution when added by his hawk form¡¯s natural sentivies to air.


    Yet as soon as his body had shrunken down, he quickly realized that he¡¯d made a mistake. His wings were immediately caught by the still ongoing blast of force, and Jaco found himself spinning backward.


    The motion was only accelerated by the pressure hitting him, spinning him even faster. He was out of control, and a quick attempt to correct himself ended with failure. All the while, the wasted time only meant that he was still being sent farther away.


    Thinking fast, the Druid suddenly got an idea. He first ended the effect of Lesser Beast Transformation, because for this next part, he¡¯d rather not remain in the more delicate body of a bird. As soon the shift back to his human body was underway, he already began to focus on Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental. Like he had before, Jaco once again used it to turn his entire body into rock.


    Then with his Ability to control earth, he mentally took control of himself. Then with the simple goal of ending his time being blown away, he willed for himself to be thrown straight downward. The effect was immediate as Jaco shot down. The fall was even harder than it would have been as his inertia from before was still at least partially added. But then his goal was achieved as he crashed right into the street.


    As soon as he landed, Jaco got straight back up and returned his body to regular flesh. At least the added resilience from Manifestation and his elixir had helped his ability to shrug off the heavy impact. Though there was a dull ache that he felt practically everywhere, it was nothing he couldn¡¯t just ignore and let his Endurance deal with.


    When Jaco got his bearings, he then swore under his breath. While he was technically on the same street, the blow had knocked him far, far away. A distance of at least several blocks now existed between him and the ongoing fight.


    It had only been a few seconds since he¡¯d initially gotten blown away. But even that short amount of time meant a lot when the Demidemon was drastically stronger than the two people still near it. With his enhanced vision, stomach dropped as he could still clearly see what was happening over there.


    Sam¡¯s eyes were wide with fear as she held her wand out, maintaining a final, desperate magical barrier. Evelyn was behind the Demidemon¡¯s legs, her blade slicing against the back of its knees. Though with her face twisted in frustration, it was clear to see that her attempt was failing to do any real damage.


    Shit! Shit! Shit! I¡¯m too far away, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll make it back in time! Jaco swore. He racked his brains as he tried to consider something, anything that would help.


    The distance between him and them was well outside the outermost range of any of his Abilities. And even if he moved at top speed, with or without taking the time to chug down a Hell Elixir of Immense Alacrity, he wouldn¡¯t be fast enough before the Minotaur got ahold of Sam. The moment it did so, it would be guaranteed death for her right there and then.


    As his thoughts rapidly searched for ideas, his hand had already brushed against his Bag of Holding. In that moment, an image flashed within his mind¡¯s eye. One of the many objects currently stored within. Jaco had a gut feeling that this might just be the solution he was looking for, and immediately acted on it by reaching inside to pull an item out.


    Hell Crossbow (Infernal, Artifact)


    This artifact has been enhanced to deliver force far beyond the mechanical capabilities of similar crossbows, and the durability to withstand such force. When infused with energy, it can impart the power stored directly into its shot as a devastating kinetic strike.


    Restriction: Can only be properly wielded by those who carry the Devil¡¯s Essence. Otherwise this artifact will feel supremely heavy to those without it.


    Current charge: 0/100


    At times, it was easy to forget that Jaco was effectively a walking armory of Infernal weaponry. Largely because all his fights were pretty easily solved by his own Abilities, especially his bear form which solely fought with its natural weapons. But in moments like this, he was able to take advantage of the wide range of options sitting within his Bag of Holding.


    Of course, there were also Hell Arrows and Hell Bolts to be used alongside the crossbow and other ranged weapons. And while Jaco did take out an arrow just a moment later, it actually wasn¡¯t one of them. Instead, it was a different kind of arrow that he had found before entering the fortress and had simply kept around all this time. Something he¡¯d almost given to one of the Scouts back at the encampment over the last few days, but ultimately decided to keep for himself.


    Explosive Arrow (Consumable Artifact)


    Filled with a vast amount of concentrated fire, this arrow will release its stored energy upon impact. While in flight, the user can control the trajectory of this artifact to some degree.


    For the crossbow, there were no attachments or any kind of mechanical assistance to pull back the string. And if there were any outside tools meant to assist, there hadn¡¯t been any around in the fort¡¯s armory at the time. But for a certain Druid, that didn¡¯t matter in the slightest.


    His hands were practically a blur of movement as he readied the shot. With nothing more than raw Strength, Jaco pulled back the sting and locked it into place. The instant that was done, he put the arrow into its spot and took aim.


    In just the couple of moments it had taken him to load the arrow thanks to his more than superhuman Agility, he¡¯d also crammed as much energy into the Hell Crossbow as he could. The energy in question was not Mana, however, but the same kind of power that the city was full of. It was the Devil¡¯s Essence.


    Yet as Jaco had infused the weapon with the Devil¡¯s Essence, something unexpected happened. His original hope was to simply charge up as much as he could right before firing. He had expected that maybe he could get the charge up to 20 out of 100, maybe 30 at most. That was just the natural assumption based on how long it took him to channel Mana, and then applied the same standard to the Devil¡¯s Essence as well.


    But that wasn¡¯t at all how things really went. When Jaco channeled the Devil¡¯s Essence within him, it did move about as much as he had expected. More than that, however, there was a reaction outside of his own body.


    Everything within the city was encased in the aura of Hell¡¯s power. Now more than ever with the Apocalypse''s third stage, it permeated through his immediate environment. Though he hadn¡¯t been able to sense it before gaining its power, he just knew as much.


    As he willed for his own energy to enter the crossbow, so too did the all-encompassing aura stir with it.

 Chapter 68:

    Jaco¡¯s heart thumped rapidly inside of his chest. He could practically hear the rush of blood within his ears as his perspective shifted. For those few precious moments it took for him to ready the arrow, he felt a sense of oneness with his surroundings.


    It was then that time seemed to slow down. As Jaco readied his weapon, his quickly moving hands were now barely at a snail¡¯s pace. Far off down the street, the Minotaur was going equally slowly as it still reached for Sam.


    Yet at that moment, it all just felt so¡­ far away. Not just in the literal sense of physical distance, but more than that. While Jaco¡¯s hands were still manipulating the crossbow, his mind had gone somewhere else.


    His attention squarely fell onto the aura that surrounded him. That had always been surrounding him from the moment they entered the city¡¯s perimeter. But it was only now that he truly focused on it. And as he did so, he could feel its presence at a level far deeper than he ever had with Mana.


    The energy in the air was like an untamed beast, doing as it pleased as it spread around. But at his call, it snapped to attention. No longer a wild animal, but a dog ready to instantly respond to its master¡¯s command. The Devil¡¯s Essence within the air synergized with the power inside the Druid¡¯s body. Or rather, with the power inside the Blight Warlock¡¯s body.


    Since obtaining his Secondary Class, this was the first time Jaco had entered the city. And unlike the area surrounding it, where the Devil¡¯s Essence was barely present, here it was dense everywhere. To that aura, the two regular people accompanying him were just strangers, outsiders. But here and now, as he called upon its power, it gladly embraced that Hell-Touched part of him like a lost son who had finally managed to make his way back home.


    The half-second before he pulled the trigger, Jaco felt one last sensation. Hidden underneath his gloves, the blackened tips of his fingers felt warm and filled with unbridled might. And at the edge of his vision, there was an update to a golden screen that was still hanging in the air.


    Current Charge: 100/100


    Then his finger pulled the trigger. There was a loud crack as the crossbow released all the tension in its string. But that sound was almost immediately muffled by a far louder bang as the arrow shot out. A sonic boom echoed throughout the ruins as the butt of the crossbow slammed into the young man¡¯s shoulder. He just grunted from the impact that would have easily ripped off the arm of any pre-System human. That bit of pain was enough to ground him.


    Jaco slowly blinked as he lowered the crossbow. His trancelike state was now broken as his mind fully returned to reality. The entire thing had only actually lasted for maybe two or three seconds, yet it had felt stretched out to be much longer than that.


    However, the Druid didn¡¯t get to reflect any further on the experience as his arrow shot through the air. With the boom that had come from the moment it was fired, the projectile had broken past the sound barrier and now flew at a literally supersonic speed.


    The arrow blitzed through the air as it flew true. And along with it came the benefit of moving faster than sound itself, for the second the Minotaur heard the boom of it being fired, it would have naturally then looked in Jaco¡¯s direction. But that predictable movement was never made. Because before the sound actually reached its ears, the arrow had already found its mark dead-on in its left shoulder.


    A secondary boom echoed through the area, one even louder than the first. An explosion of both intensely hot fire and pure force blasted out from where the arrow had landed. Had it been omnidirectional, the sheer force would have been more than enough to also blast away Sam and Evelyn. But the vast majority of power behind the impact was fortunately restrained to just its initial direction. Even then, however, the two of them were still knocked back several feet.


    Aside from them, three things went flying off in separate directions. One was the Minotaur, as the concussive blast shot off its feet and sent it flying backwards. Another was its axe, as the monster¡¯s grip on it was lost, which allowed it to get sent off in a different direction. The third and final object had shot directly toward the ground and smacked into it with a wet thud. It being the Minotaur¡¯s entire left arm, save for the upper part that had been entirely destroyed by explosion.


    The Demidemon eventually crashed into a pile of rubble. A large cloud of dust and debris erupted in all directions from the site. But as the dust began to settle, Jaco could tell even from a distance that their foe wasn¡¯t immediately getting back up. Which, considering its toughness, was already an amazing sign.


    The final result of the Explosive Arrow plus the full power of the Hell Crossbow was more than pleasing, with the karmic revenge of blasting the Minotaur away just the cherry on top. But before he preemptively celebrated their victory, Jaco managed to catch himself.


    There hadn¡¯t been a notification from the System to confirm the kill. Not yet, anyway, even as a few seconds had already passed since the massive strike. Something that only meant that the Minotaur was still alive and their battle wasn¡¯t concluded.


    ¡°Finish it off, now!¡± Jaco yelled. He then quickly turned into a hawk to start flying back over there. At the same time, his words were enough to snap his two companions out of their shock.


    They had both heard about his first fight with the Minotaur in the fortress. About how it transformed and gained a massive increase in speed while sacrificing power. Most troublesome was that even though the transformation didn¡¯t actually heal its wounds, it would allow it to keep fighting for a while longer. That was something they had to prevent at all costs, especially since the two of them were already exhausted.


    Evelyn was naturally the faster one to react and start moving. She became a living blur as she closed the gap that had been created by the Minotaur being blown away. The large monster was still heavily wounded and clearly in a daze. Buckets of blood were pouring out from where its arm used to be.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Even past the missing limb, more of its body was in pretty bad shape. From the angle of the fiery explosion, half of its face was deeply burned. Most of the skin was still bubbling from the sheer heat that it had been exposed to. But past all the blood and concrete dust, bits of white could even be seen from where sections of its skull were now exposed.


    The damage went all the way up to one of its eyes, which was currently closed. Though judging from the burn marks that surrounded it, it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to assume the eyeball itself was also potentially ruined. The other eye, however, was still open on the mostly undamaged side of the Minotaur¡¯s head. The gaze of the red eye was unfocused, and remained so even as the human woman rushed straight for it.


    Evelyn knew that her blade had a hard time against the Demidemon¡¯s tough flesh. But she pinned her hopes on the thought that not every part of its body would be equally strong. The eyes were a potential weak point that would have been difficult to hit just a minute ago during the middle of combat. While the monster was vulnerable, she focused straightaway on exploiting that.


    Her blade plunged straight into the Minotaur¡¯s open eye. It hadn¡¯t reacted up to the moment the tip of the sword stabbed into it, but as soon as it had plunged in, the Minotaur loudly bellowed with pain. Even as its body shook in agony, Evelyn remained solely focused on her task. She just pushed her own full body weight into her sword, doing everything she could to dig even deeper in. If she could just make it all the way through and pierce straight into the brain¡­


    Yet the Demidemon¡¯s status as a Level 49 being wasn¡¯t just for show. Even while in a heavily injured state and being actively stabbed in a weak point, it still wasn¡¯t so easily put down. Upon being hit by the arrow and blasted backwards, it had been forced to let go of the axe held in its remaining hand. But an unarmed Minotaur was still more than a threat with just its bare hands.


    Even with the concussion of the century, its own survival instincts were enough to get it into action. Evelyn did feel the shift in its remaining arm, but she intentionally ignored it. She simply continued to redouble her single-minded efforts and keep attempting to make the needed final push into the monster¡¯s brain matter. However, Agility was her main Stat in the end, not Strength. So despite her best efforts, it simply fell just shy of what was necessary to finish off their enemy.


    The Minotaur¡¯s arm then slammed straight into her side. Evelyn let out a gasp as all the air was knocked out of her lungs. There was an audible crack, as even the haphazard swipe was enough to fracture at least a couple of the redhead¡¯s ribs.


    Both her hands had been pushing against the top of her sword¡¯s pummel, rather than directly holding onto it. So with the blow, she was easily knocked away. Evelyn then of course tried to get right back up, but failed. She gritted her teeth as pain flared up from her side, and was barely able to take in even a sucking breath.


    The Minotaur blindly waved its arm about some more, but then stopped as it felt no impact. Its hand then reached for the sword still stuck in its eye. With how large the monster was, the blade almost looked like a metal splinter in between its fingers, one which it then ripped straight out. With that done, it began to struggle in an attempt to lean forward and fully dislodge itself from the rubble.


    In the time that passed, Jaco had already managed to close a large chunk of the gap. It didn¡¯t take him much longer to reach the point where he believed the Minotaur was now at the edge of his elemental Ability¡¯s range.


    He had watched as the wounded monster threw Evelyn aside. Now, after it had just torn the sword from its eye, the air around it started to turn hazy with steam. Knowing what was soon to come, Jaco had prepared to step in. Yet right before he channeled the Mana for a long-range attack to disrupt the monster, he stopped. For just before he could do so, it looked like an intervention on his part wouldn¡¯t be necessary.


    For right when the Minotaur managed to sit up, Sam now stood directly before it. Her entire body was rigid with pure focus as her already-raised wand aimed at one spot. The Minotaur couldn¡¯t see her with both eyes now blinded. And as it snorted, it only found blood clogging its nostrils.


    It had no idea what was coming as the Mage then unleashed everything she had. From her wand, a highly condensed bolt of pure Mana shot straight for the same eye Evelyn had stabbed. From a distance, Jaco could barely even make out the physical Mana bolt, as it was only the size of an olive. But his gut told him that it was by no means weak, and was in fact the most highly condensed spell he¡¯d ever seen from Sam.


    Almost like a bullet, it flew straight into the Minotaur¡¯s eye socket. And just a moment later, its entire body spasmed as it fell back onto the pile of rubble. Though its death throes didn¡¯t last very long. Because just a few short seconds later, it finally went completely still.


    And this time, the System provided all the confirmation they needed.


    EXP Earned!


    Level Up!


    Level 44 to Level 45


    Level Up!


    Level 45 to Level 46


    Two Levels? Huh, I¡¯ll take it, Jaco thought.


    He didn¡¯t quite understand how the System handled a split of Experience. Mostly because it hadn¡¯t really been relevant for the vast, vast majority of his battles. But while he certainly had contributed the most in terms of actual damage, it hadn¡¯t been him to actually land the killing blow. So if that person was the one who got the majority of Experience Points, he figured that getting two Levels for himself was still pretty good.


    The Druid then landed beside his companions and shifted back into his regular form. He first looked over at Evelyn, who was sitting on the ground and currently looking off to the side with a focused stare. Likely looking at her own System notifications, if Jaco had to assume. Evelyn then closed her eyes, and began to deeply breathe in and out. As she did so, the pain in her grimace seemed to decrease by several degrees.


    Considering that she¡¯d taken a pretty heavy hit just a little bit ago, even her doing that much meant a pretty fast recovery. Considering her own performance, she too must have gained her own fair share of Experience. Perhaps she had just invested the Unspent Points gained from any Levels into Endurance to give herself a restorative second wind. Bursts of investment in the Stat did seem to have that effect on one¡¯s current condition. That idea was why Jaco had kept around his own stockpile of Unspent Points, anyway.


    His attention then turned his other companion on this mission, Sam. The one who had officially killed the Minotaur was thus likely to have reaped the largest reward. The Mage was still heaving. When she turned to him, her face was clearly slick with sweat. But her expression was that of a hero, a triumphant grin with bright eyes.


    ¡°That was way too fucking close. But at least it was worth it in the end. Because I just got the notification for unlocking my Class Evolution!¡± Sam cheered.


    Jaco smiled, and was about to congratulate her. He knew that Sam had been Level 25 just before the fight, meaning that at the very minimum, she had just gained five Levels. But before he actually said anything, something caught his attention. The Druid focused on it for a moment, and frowned upon realizing what it was.


    ¡°Army of undead, coming from all directions. Get ready, because it sounds like a massive horde, and it won¡¯t be long until they¡¯re right on top of us. Sorry, Sam, they¡¯ll be here long before you have the chance to look through your options. But don¡¯t rush it, they shouldn¡¯t be too high-Level,¡± he said.


    Sam grimaced, but nodded in understanding. Also hearing him, Evelyn opened her eyes and got back up to her feet. The massive blasts from just earlier had almost definitely been the thing to attract them. And now before they had time to celebrate their victory, it was again time to fight.

 Chapter 69:

    Sam was exhausted, and every muscle within her body complained with ache. That final attack to kill the Minotaur had taken everything she had, maybe even more, to accomplish. She still wasn¡¯t even sure from where exactly she had drawn the control necessary to condense her Mana as much as she had. It was a feat Sam wasn¡¯t sure she could repeat even after taking the time to rest.


    But a well-earned rest wasn¡¯t something that fate apparently had in store for them. At least not currently. For it was almost immediately after their victory that Jaco had warned them of an incoming horde of undead. They apparently only had minutes at most, so Sam had used that time as best she could.


    She had simply closed her eyes and focused on the use of Minor Restoration. As far as Abilities went, it was a rather simple one. A Mage just had to concentrate and enter a state that was somewhat like meditation. Within it, they were able to speed up the recovery of their Mana. It wasn¡¯t a huge boost in its regeneration and couldn¡¯t be used in stressful situations like active combat. But it was certainly better than nothing in a pinch.


    Less than two minutes later, the horde was upon them. Undead swarmed in from every direction. The army was easily larger than the one that had attacked the camp. Big enough that escaping in any direction but upward would have just meant meeting the horde sooner.


    And while Jaco might have been able to use his wind magic to carefully hover them into the air, he hadn¡¯t dared. Not when a true Demon had earlier been spotted in the skies overhead, when none of them would know when it might emerge from the fort or if it could spot them from there if they flew.


    Sam looked around. She saw a whole range of undead. Most common were the weak, basic Skeletons, of course. But there was easily a smaller army¡¯s worth of Warriors and Mages as well. Along with plenty of Ghouls, and another kind that was most concerning of all.


    Lesser Revenant (Undead)


    Level: 32


    The Lesser Revenants were the least common type present, at least as far as Sam could tell. But as she looked in all directions, she could already count dozens mixed in with the other Skeletons. Each one had a level in the low 30s.


    Sam swallowed. It¡¯s okay, they¡¯re not an actual threat to us. If they¡¯re the strongest ones here, then Jaco can already deal with them with his eyes closed. Just need to stay close to him and assist with my magic, while he deals with the majority of them with whichever Abilities of his have the widest attack area.


    On any other day, the sight of so many undead both weak and strong would have given her a heart attack. Even now, she still couldn¡¯t deny that she was nervous. But the knowledge of how strong the Druid was and what he was capable of acted as a large comfort.


    As she had that thought, said Druid sprung into action. The moment one side of the horde entered his range, he swung his staff. Sam felt Jaco channel an extremely large amount of Mana through the weapon right as he started the movement. Mana that was then quickly imparted into the air he waved the staff through.


    An almost invisible arc shot out toward the undead. It started just as small as his swing had been. But with each foot it traveled, the arc grew wider and wider. By the time it reached the first of the army, it had already grown to be the length of a school bus.


    It was like a wave of second death slammed right into the horde. Every Skeleton unfortunate enough to be in its path soon found itself bisected through the upper chest. Even as it met the Skeleton Warriors that had armor and often wielded shields, it still cut through them like a knife through paper. It was a completely smooth cut that didn¡¯t seem to be impeded in the slightest.


    Within just those few seconds of Jaco waving his staff, what had to be hundreds of undead had already been slain. Even if there were still thousands more, Sam couldn¡¯t help but release a held breath. Her eyes darted over to where a golden screen had been, before it was dismissed so that it wouldn¡¯t be a distraction in the face of the horde.


    When they had the chance to stop, Sam would be able to begin her Class Evolution. She couldn¡¯t help but ask herself what it would bring. As she looked at all the slain undead, Sam just wondered if it would allow her to do what Jaco had just done.


    Not to be too badly outdone, the Mage turned around and aimed her wand at another group of undead to her right. A bolt of arcane power formed in front of it, and then was sent flying. The moment it made contact with a Skeleton, it exploded. At least a couple dozen undead were wiped out from the blast. Something that Sam still took pride in, even if the explosive form of magic was extra costly for her Mana. Kill notifications quickly rolled by, but she had the System tune them out.


    From her left, there was a glowing blur of movement. Sword in hand, Evelyn also got to work and started to cut down the undead. Sam didn¡¯t exactly know how her post-Evolution Ability worked. Only that it briefly turned the former Chosen into a high-speed streak that was able to attack before her target even knew what hit them.


    What should have followed was a massacre against the undead. One where the Druid would likely have slain well over a thousand of his own while Evelyn and Sam could have split however many were left.


    But then something unexpected occurred. From the corner of her eye, Sam saw movement. And when she turned, her jaw went slack with disbelief.


    The seemingly almost indomitable Jaco had fallen to his knees, with one hand pressed against the ground, the other pressed into the side of his head. Sam quickly ran over to his side after processing her initial shock.


    ¡°Jaco, what happened?! Are you okay?!¡± she yelled out. When she moved to an angle where she could see his face, she saw that it was twisted into a grimace of pain.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Just got really dizzy all of sudden. I¡­ fuck.¡± The Druid squeezed his eyes shut as he seemed to be fighting through another wave of whatever was happening to him.


    The undead were still coming. So at that moment, Sam made a quick decision. She yelled out Evelyn¡¯s name, and carefully pulled Jaco from the ground. Supporting his weight with her frame, she wrapped her arm around his back as they stood up.


    The trio were then forced to make a retreat. Jaco¡¯s part of the horde had been cut down the most, so with that as the best starting point they had, they turned that way and made a run for it. Rather than simply decimate the undead, they cut a narrow path through the horde. As Sam supported Jaco, Evelyn was largely forced to do the work on that front.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    It was a task she was well-equipped for, as she quickly slashed their way through. Even with Jaco and Sam moving slower, the good news was that they still managed to move faster than the horde. Especially as the more Skeletons were forced to crowd in a single area, the more their own kind restrained their mobility.


    It took them more than a bit to escape. And the whole time, Sam just silently prayed that a Demidemon or super powerful undead didn¡¯t show up as they ran. Tense minutes passed as they continued to cut their own path out. So much time had gone by that Jaco no longer needed her assistance and was able to move on his own, something which then quickly sped them up by a noticeable degree.


    He did try to turn around and channel Mana to use an Ability. But the moment he did so, Jaco grabbed the side of his head again and stumbled. The good news was that he didn¡¯t fully collapse like before. But the bad news spoke for itself, as they were still forced to continue their retreat.


    Fortune did seem to remain somewhat on their side, however, as they managed to avoid the stronger undead so that Evelyn and Sam didn¡¯t have to try and fight them. And nothing extremely powerful had showed up by the time they finally broke through the end of the horde.


    Even then, they weren¡¯t home free yet. The trio then zigzagged through the streets of the city, trying to move in a random pattern to throw off the undead army. After about twenty minutes of doing this, Jaco then pointed out a small building down the street.


    It wasn¡¯t tall at all, only about two stories. Though it seemed to be in better condition than a lot of the remaining urban structure, it was still in pretty bad shape, to the point where Sam couldn¡¯t even tell what it would have been for before the Apocalypse. But shelter was shelter, and so they then entered the building.


    ¡°Alright. Should be safe here for a while,¡± Jaco began as they walked in. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like the horde is switching directions to head this way. So at least in the meantime, we should be good.¡±


    Evelyn frowned. ¡°Maybe we should just stay here and rest? I don¡¯t think we should head out there anytime soon. Not until that hornet¡¯s nest of monsters calms back down.¡±


    Sam glanced between the two of them, but said nothing. Instead, she just tried to find the comfiest-looking spot to sit down. Something that required a pretty low bar for what was considered comfy, considering the bits of concrete and glass everywhere. Once she had a seat, Jaco had a few moments of thought, then started to nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. I¡¯ll head to the top of the building and keep watch for now. That way you guys can get some rest without needing to keep one eye open.¡±


    Sam looked at him, now from across the room. ¡°Do you want one of us to let you know after some time has passed? To swap out so you can get some rest too?¡±


    Her thoughts went back to just earlier. When he had suddenly been overcome by bouts of weakness. Was that really something that could be so easily ignored without any sleep? Even if he didn¡¯t show that weakness now, Sam had her doubts.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll be fine. I slept not too long ago back at the camp. With the way my body is, I can probably go weeks or even more without any sleep. Just sitting back and relaxing should be all the rest I really need,¡± Jaco insisted.


    With that, the Druid quickly made his way back outside. Sam only heard a muted thud of something hitting the roof just a second later. Since the building itself wasn¡¯t very tall, with his Stats, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Jaco had simply jumped up to the top.


    Alright, then. But before I can rest¡­


    Now that there weren¡¯t any new emergencies, Sam leaned against the wall. It was finally time to do the thing she really wanted. A previous notification then appeared directly in front of her.


    Available Class Evolutions:


    Arcane Sorcerer


    Spinner of Mana


    Elemental Adept


    Advanced Mage


    Sam¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing the golden screen again. As she stared at it, her heart beat quickly inside her chest. Not from the earlier adrenaline of combat or the exertion she¡¯d needed to flee from the horde of undead in the end, but from the pure excitement of actually starting the process of evolving her Class.


    There was so much energy bubbling up from inside her that she even felt tempted to get up and start pacing around. Sam ultimately forced herself to remain sitting, though, and took a deep breath to try and calm back down.


    Without further ado, she then started from the top of the list.


    Arcane Sorcerer:


    This path is for those who seek both true mastery and further power within their arcane might. These Mages advance their skill in casting spells while only continuing to grow in their potential to wreak destruction from afar.


    New Class Ability:


    Charged Arcana


    Upgraded Class Ability:


    Minor Arcane Spellcasting to Lesser Arcane Spellcasting


    Passive Abilities:


    Destructive Conduit


    Stat Bonuses:


    +25 Spell Power


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +2 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    Sam rubbed her hand against her chin as she quickly read through the text. And as she took in everything that was written on the golden screen, she unconsciously pinched her bottom lip between her fingers.


    This process was playing out more or less exactly how Jaco had described his own path to choosing a Class Evolution: four options, new bonuses, and so on. When he¡¯d talked about it during a meeting back at the camp, he had been pressed to give as much detail as possible. Jaco had been their only ally at that point to attain one at that point, after all. So he had effectively acted as their only source of detailed, reliable information on the subject.


    At the same time, however, there were already some notable differences. Specifically on the numerical side of things. When Jaco talked about his own Evolution, everyone listening had taken particular note of the numbers.


    If Sam¡¯s memory served her correctly, two of his options had offered 45 points for the Stat Bonus and an increase of +3 for the Stat Modifications. The other two had been different due to one apparently being listed as Rare, and the other offering far more Stats as a trade-off for less exciting Abilities. Or at least that was how Jaco had seen it, anyway.


    Yet hers only showed a +25 Bonus and +2 Stat Mod. Both of which were still good. But she couldn¡¯t help but frown a bit. Was this just an exception, or another lesson on just how much more of an advantage a Rare Class like Jaco¡¯s brought?


    Putting that aside for now, she looked at what else the Evolution offered beyond just numbers. And yet even for that she was¡­ whelmed. Not overwhelmed by something amazing, not underwhelmed by something terrible. It just looked okay overall.


    Shaking her head, Sam decided to go ahead and look at the next one on the list. Maybe her mood was still impacted by the close call with the Minotaur. If Jaco hadn¡¯t basically exploded its arm off, it would have grabbed her. If it had snared her by the head, that monster might have easily squashed it like a grape.


    To quickly distract herself from that mental image, she figured that moving on to what the rest of the Evolutions provided might be a good idea.


    Spinner of Mana:


    A path for Mages who seek flexibility and mastery over the tapestry of Mana itself. Their strength lies not in raw power, but in an ability to shape their magic into any form, eventually limited only by their imagination.


    New Class Ability:


    Lesser Mana Construct


    Upgraded Class Ability:


    Minor Mana Weaving to Lesser Mana Weaving


    Passive Abilities:


    Magical Stability


    Stat Bonuses:


    +25 Will


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +2 Boost to Will per Level


    Sam found herself a bit more interested in this one. The Mana Construct Ability actually did seem quite intriguing, depending on exactly what kind of constructs it meant. Though the Stat gains were still lower than hoped. So sadly, at this point, it seemed like that was just the way things would be.


    I should probably just look at the rest, and then think about them all at once. No point in worrying about them one at a time if the next one throws my previous thoughts out the window. Better to consider them all in each other¡¯s context at the end, Sam decided.


    When she then looked at the third option, however, that idea just as quickly got thrown out in her confusion.


    Elemental Adept (Uncommon):


    Uncommon¡­ Sam thought as her pulse began to race.

 Chapter 70:

    Elemental Adept (Uncommon):


    This path takes a single step away from the traditional art of arcane magic. This Mage has been imprinted upon by a power with a deep connection to the natural elements of earth, wind, fire, and air. And it is through this thread that they eventually attain a different form of magical might by channeling the strength of these very elements.


    New Class Ability:


    Lesser Elemental Conjuration


    Upgraded Class Abilities:


    Mystic Awareness to Elemental Awareness


    Minor Arcane Spellcasting to Lesser Elemental Spellcasting


    Passive Ability:


    Natural Restoration


    Stat Bonuses:


    +30 Spell Power


    +15 Will


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +2 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    +1 Boost to Will per Level


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the screen. Her mouth hung slightly open while she read and then reread it.


    She had only known of two people with these rarity tags to their Classes. One was her own brother, Levi, as he was a Spellblade. Then there was Jaco, a Druid. She knew Levi had a Rare Class, and from what she heard from Jaco, his Class Evolution was also listed as Rare.


    However, this was something new to her. Sam had never heard of anyone with an Uncommon Class or Class Evolution. Granted, the sample size in that department was pretty limited. She was aware that at least one other member of the Chosen Few had an abnormal Class. That man had been a Phantom Rogue, at least until Jaco had killed him.


    But whether his Class had been Uncommon or Rare, none of them knew. That just wasn¡¯t something the System actually showed when you used it to identify a person¡¯s basic info. So unless the person in question openly told you the answer, there really was no way to find out that they knew of.


    In this case, though, there was a separate pressing matter. When it came to the source that opened up this potential path for her, the description made it rather obvious. A certain Druid immediately came to mind. However, while the connection was clear and there was no other clear explanation, Sam¡¯s brows furrowed with confusion.


    Was her connection to Jaco truly enough to cause such a development to occur? She just couldn¡¯t wrap her head around it. Maybe if she had known and fought alongside him since the very start of the Apocalypse, it could have made sense. But that hadn¡¯t been the case, not by a long shot.


    Sam¡¯s first encounter with Jaco after the Apocalypse had already been well over a month ago. About thirty-eight days at that point, to be more precise, if her memory served her correctly. Which meant that she¡¯d known Jaco for a few weeks now. Though that was only true from a technical point of view.


    A large chunk of that time had actually been spent apart, with Jaco alone in the city. If one were to count nothing but the time he¡¯d spent in the camp between his two visits, he and Sam had only spent about a week in relatively close proximity. Even then, however, that was only in terms of physical distance, with both being in the same immediate area. When she considered how little of that overall time they¡¯d spent directly interacting with one another, this Class Evolution just became all the more perplexing.


    She decided that this was likely beyond her. If Sam only let it stew within her mind, she¡¯d probably drive herself crazy. Her gaze moved over to the other woman in the room. Evelyn¡¯s eyes, too, were closed as she simply leaned against a wall. Unless she was one of those weirdos who could fall asleep super easily, she was probably still awake, right?


    ¡°Hey, Evelyn¡­¡± Sam began after a moment of hesitation. The redhead across the room opened her eyes.


    ¡°Hmm?


    ¡°I¡¯m just really confused about something. It¡¯s like this.¡±


    Sam then proceeded to explain what her Class Evolution had offered so far. When she came to the part about the Elemental Adept Class, that quickly got Evelyn¡¯s full attention. Once she finished sharing everything, Evelyn had already leaned forward, and she was staring right at her with a clearly confused look.


    ¡°Have you heard of anything like that before from Levi or the other Chosen?¡± Sam asked after wrapping up the explanation.


    Evelyn shook her head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. It¡¯s not really anything they openly talked about, at least not with me. I didn¡¯t even know how many options there were until I reached Level 30 to get my own. But that last Evolution¡­ It''s definitely weird. Don¡¯t know exactly how the System even works for a lot of things, though, so maybe this is just another one of its mysteries?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± It wasn¡¯t really a satisfying answer, though, and Sam was still curious about something. ¡°Though¡­ what would you do? Like for your own Evolution, would you have picked it over your actual choice? Assuming it was offered as a Warrior equivalent, I mean.¡±


    The Flashblade Blitzer considered the question. Several seconds passed as she looked over to the side, deep in thought. Just as the silence started to stretch on, Evelyn seemed to have come to a conclusion and looked back.


    ¡°Nope, definitely wouldn¡¯t have. Just wouldn¡¯t really compliment my focus on Agility. Sure, it¡¯s probably strong and has its advantages, but just wouldn¡¯t jibe me with, you know? I kinda just picked based on what felt right without thinking about it too much. So if you¡¯re asking for my opinion, I guess just consider what your heart feels is right?¡±


    ¡°What my heart feels is right,¡± Sam repeated with a sincere nod. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thanks for the help.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I didn¡¯t do much at all. But¡­¡± Evelyn trailed off for a moment. ¡°I should be the one thanking you. For earlier with the Minotaur, I mean. I¡¯m pretty sure it was about to transform. If you hadn¡¯t come in time to finish it off, I would have been the first one it killed. So¡­ thank you.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The Mage¡¯s mind once again showed her a picture of how close she¡¯d come to getting grabbed and potentially squashed. But within that same picture, she couldn¡¯t help but recall what the redhead had been doing. How Evelyn could have made a break for it after Jaco got blown away, something that would have been very possible with her speed.


    But instead, she had desperately tried to attack the Minotaur from behind. To intentionally draw its attention away from Sam and toward herself instead. It hadn¡¯t worked, at least not until the moment Jaco attacked the Minotaur and turned the tides in an instead. But maybe it could have worked just a second later. And even if it didn¡¯t, Evelyn taking that risk in itself was still a meaningful act.


    ¡°It¡¯s, umm¡­ no problem. Sorry for waking you up, you can go back to sleep now if you want,¡± Sam said with a bit of awkwardness. When the redhead turned away and closed her eyes again, she just let out a small sigh.


    But on that note, she went ahead and checked out the final option on the list.


    Advanced Mage:


    To simply focus on a solid foundation can be seen as a simple path, but it is also still fundamentally powerful in its own right. This Mage simply takes another step forward on the road directly ahead, ignoring alternative routes while keeping their gaze fixed on the development of perfected simplicity.


    New Class Ability:


    Lesser Spell Craft


    Upgraded Class Abilities:


    Choose two (Minor Restoration, Minor Mana Weaving, Minor Arcane Spellcasting) to raise to Lesser rank.


    Passive Abilities:


    Perfected Foundations (First Step)


    Stat Bonuses:


    +30 Will


    +30 Spell Power


    Permanent Stat Modifications:


    +2 Boost to Will per Level


    +2 Boost to Spell Power per Level


    This is¡­ huh, Sam thought. So it was most certainly the same kind of thing Jaco received for his last option. A more basic-looking Evolution, but one that provided better Stats than every other option. Something about it felt¡­ right.


    Sam continued to carefully study her options for the next several minutes. She was in no rush, and as such had plenty of time to do another review of each one. The weight and importance of this decision were not lost on her. There would be no redo once the choice was finalized. It would completely define the rest of her time in the Apocalypse. And if it ended up being the wrong choice, it could be her final regret before that time came to a sudden end.


    But after her discussion with Evelyn, one path had already pushed itself to the forefront of her mind. While she was still uncertain about making that her final choice, however, what Sam was certain about was which one she wouldn¡¯t pick. After the inner reflection she had already done while deep in thought about it, that particular decision actually came rather easily.


    She would not select the Elemental Adept. That was a commitment, and she would hold firm on it. As for why Sam would so decidedly put aside the only one that was Uncommon? Well, it was certainly likely to be powerful, that much she felt confident in thinking. If Jaco¡¯s use of the elements was any example, then that was a pretty reasonable assumption to make.


    However, it was there that the answer for her rejection could be found. If Sam became an Elemental Adept, she¡¯d feel like she was simply walking in the Druid¡¯s footsteps. There were other factors too, of course. Such as the uncertainty of how powerful the elemental magic would be compared to Jaco¡¯s, as the description did say it was gained via the power being imprinted upon you. Was this imprint just a spark that led to something equally strong, or nothing but a copy that would never quite compare to the original?


    Then there was her Mystic Awareness. Every Class had an Ability that always worked in the background and adjusted their perception of the world. Mystic Awareness, for example, was what made Mages like her so much more sensitive to magic and Mana in comparison to all the other Classes.


    Yet what would happen when it got upgraded to Elemental Awareness? Jaco had previously said that he had received a similar kind of upgrade to his Ability. As far as he could tell, it had mostly made his instincts double down on their power to sense danger, but apparently it also helped guide his general intuition as well.


    In one instance, he¡¯d found an artifact just because he vaguely felt that something important was close by while standing near it. At the same time, the upgrade hadn¡¯t removed what the Ability did before in terms of enhancing his senses. However, would that last point be the same for Sam and Elemental Awareness?


    She really disliked how the System didn¡¯t provide any actual Ability information. While the Class descriptions gave her a very general¡­ well, description, they didn¡¯t do much in terms of the specifics. Just from the name Elemental Awareness, Sam assumed that the changed Ability would extend her sensitivity to Mana to cover the elements as well. Though considering the name change, it would likely lean toward the latter from here on out.


    Perhaps that difference would make a bigger impact for a second Class Evolution, at least assuming those were a thing. Maybe they were, and it would be known upon someone reaching Level 60 if it was a pattern starting from 30. Or maybe they weren¡¯t, and this was it for humanity in terms of power boosts. Either way, the result was the same in terms of her line of thinking.


    Sam shook her head. She could already tell that she was just overcomplicating things at this point. While complex arguments and reasoning were good and had a place, sometimes it was better just to simplify. To think or say the thing that deep down, from the start, you already knew you were going to, and just be efficient about it.


    She didn¡¯t want to just be stuck in Jaco¡¯s shadow. Whether the power gained was comparable to his or not, the result was the same. Something within her said that this would be an excellent path for anyone who wanted to follow in his path. But that would just be it at the end of the day, following his path. And that simply wasn¡¯t something she wanted for herself.


    No, she already knew what her own path would be. She¡¯d known for a bit now, but had consciously tried to justify herself and logically reason it out first through process of elimination. Of the four options, the one that claimed her heart was that of the Advanced Mage.


    It just felt right to her. The idea of just taking what you already have, and then turning into an unshakable foundation. It was also the option that would allow her to compete the most with Jaco and the Chosen Few in one department: pure and simple Stats. It also didn¡¯t hurt that the Spell Craft Ability actually did appeal to her, as it sounded interesting.


    Sam stopped doubting what her heart was already telling her. At that moment, she decided to heed the advice Evelyn had just given. To simply choose what felt right for her vision of herself, and not worry about anything else. And as for her own vision, Sam saw herself as still only at the start of a marathon. One where she would reach the peak her own way on the path already laid out in front of her, without anything fancy or extra acting as a distraction.


    It was with this conviction that she finalized her decision. As for the upgraded Class Abilities? Sam picked Restoration to give herself an edge on restoring her Mana, and then Mana Weaving to allow herself the fine-tuned control that would be needed for future magical projects at the camp.


    With a sigh of both satisfaction and relief from her, a new golden screen appeared as the System acknowledged her choice.


    Class Evolution Gained: Advanced Mage!

 Chapter 71:

    Not much time had passed since Jaco got up onto the rooftop. From this high point, he first made a cursory scan of the surrounding area. The horde of undead seemed to be long gone. The fortunate thing about dealing with them was the fact that they were mindless, meaning that it didn¡¯t take much to throw them off and go one way while they continued to march in a different direction.


    Though we should probably still keep away from that area, even after keeping our heads down for a while. With all the commotion from before, I¡¯d be surprised if any Demidemons weren¡¯t already there to check out what happened. Hard to know exactly how intelligent they are, though, especially the Taurlings, since I haven¡¯t really interacted with them much. They could actually be smart enough to properly investigate. Or they might just check for any threats, and then simply leave and forget about it once they can¡¯t find anything. They¡¯d be kinda like video game NPCs if they did that, Jaco thought.


    It was an amusing thought. But after taking some time to look around, Jaco took a seat, closed his eyes, and tried to relax a bit. Even while his eyes were shut, however, his hearing remained sharp to pick out anything trying to stealthily approach.


    Yet Jaco¡¯s mind soon lingered over to the major elephant in the room. Under normal circumstances, that undead horde shouldn¡¯t have been a big threat. It shouldn¡¯t even have made for a tough fight to deal with, much less something to run away from.


    Even if Level 40 Revenants had been mixed in, Jaco wouldn¡¯t have been too worried. Not when he out-Leveled them and now had prior experience in dealing with their powers. But once again, that would only have been true under normal circumstances. And what happened to him out of the blue certainly hadn¡¯t been normal.


    He played it back in his mind. Initially, everything had gone as it should have. He used his Abilities to tear through the army and racked up who even knew how many kill notifications. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, his instincts warned him of a profound wrongness. Yet that warning only came a second before what then occurred. The message had arrived too late, as it came while the Druid was still in the middle of using an Ability. He couldn¡¯t stop himself in time.


    First there had been a wave of vertigo that completely spun his world around, forcing Jaco onto his hands and knees. Then while he was still trying to process what had just happened, every fiber of his being was suddenly racked with agony. It was as if someone had decided to stab every pore across his skin at once with needles. The pain itself was immense, but he had still been lucid enough to, perhaps foolishly, attempt to fight through it.


    Jaco¡¯s first assumption had been that he was under attack. That either someone or something had hit him with one of their powers and caused what he experienced. So of course his first reaction was to then try and fight back with his own Abilities. He wasn¡¯t sure what would even help, but trying everything he could was at least better than nothing.


    At least that was what he told himself, before the agony just redoubled itself. He hadn¡¯t even been given a chance to use any one of his Abilities. Instead, it was like someone reacted with a sledgehammer to his skull the instant he even tried to channel something. And with that time lag for channeling predictably interfering, nothing came of it except the double dose of pain.


    Yet at the same time, it hadn¡¯t taken too long for his body to start recovering from that affliction. It felt like half an hour passed with him being on the ground like that, though in reality, it likely didn¡¯t even take thirty seconds for Sam to reach his side and begin helping him up.


    Then as they made their escape through the horde, Jaco had steadily begun to recover. At first it was small, just the pain itself going numb. Then the massive headache faded, allowing him to think clearly again. Finally his body started to move as it should, and he was able to fully stand and run on his own.


    However, even now, he hadn¡¯t dared to actually draw upon his Abilities again. The only ones currently ongoing were his Passive Abilities, so at least they seemed to be fine. It was just the Active ones that required his activation to use that seemed to be a problem.


    Jaco held out his hand, and for a moment was tempted to see what would happen now. A bit of time had already passed, so maybe¡­


    No. Just as he was about to channel the Mana, he once again felt that pang of wrongness. It was somewhat fainter compared to before, but still there. Which meant that for the time being, he was still out of commission.


    Jaco then sat there for a few minutes, still on the lookout. To keep his mind off his own worries, he decided to distract himself with something. For the first time since the battle with the Minotaur, the Druid opened a golden screen to take a close look at what had changed.


    General Info:


    Species: Hell-Touched Human


    Level: 46


    Class: Druid


    Evolution: True Shifter


    Secondary Class: Blight Warlock


    Level: 17


    Stats:


    Strength: 157


    Agility: 104


    Endurance: 144


    Will: 130


    Spell Power: 177


    Unspent Points: 28


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Animal Instincts


    Passive: One with Nature


    Passive: Permanent Aspect One


    Passive: Wild Constitution


    Active: Lesser Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Lesser Beast Transformation


    Active: Minor Primal Ferocity


    Active: Lesser Shapeshift


    Active: Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental


    Secondary Class Abilities:


    Active: Lesser Pestilent Swarm


    Active: Lesser Zone of Blight


    Active: Lesser Rotting Summon


    With his last two Level Ups, Jaco had also made his own fair share of gains.


    The main thing of note was his total pool of Unspent Points. With 28 to now spend as he pleased, Jaco would be lying if he said that he wasn¡¯t tempted to just use them now. After all, doing so would allow him to make Spell Power the first Stat to cross the 200 mark in just one push. For the time being, however, the Druid reminded himself to remain patient and hold off on that.


    Because in his mind, these Unspent Points were like a trump card that could always remain up his sleeve. Jaco¡¯s original thinking was that he could use them to quickly bump up his Endurance and effectively give a jump-start boost to his body¡¯s healing. But now he believed that it could be used for even more than that. The thought process was actually rather simple. Why not just go ahead and apply that same idea to the rest of his Stats?


    Who knows when he could use a sudden surge to any one of them. A ton of Spell Power to give his Abilities more oomph if their current output wasn¡¯t enough. Will for when it wasn¡¯t raw power that was the issue, but range or finesse. Agility to give him a burst of speed to either escape or catch up to something. And Strength to win¡­ well, a contest of Strength!


    From down below, Jaco then picked up the noise of chatter. Inside the building he was currently sitting on top of, Sam and Evelyn had begun to talk about something. Now, if the Druid wanted to focus his hearing to listen in on their exact words, it would actually be fairly easy for him to do so. But as someone who would rather respect the privacy of others, he didn¡¯t.


    In fact, learning to tune out what others said around him was a practiced skill of its own at this point. During his days at the camp, it¡¯d been something he very quickly learned to do. He had the angle of not wanting to invade others¡¯ privacy, but also knew that having superhuman hearing to pick up everything around him could get overwhelming fast. So it¡¯d been for his own sake just as much, if not more so, than for others.


    Well, it¡¯s been a good bit longer now. Might as well give it a test run and hope whatever¡¯s wrong with me has fixed itself up. With that thought, Jaco lifted his hand off the ground and turned his palm upwards.


    Jaco then deeply inhaled as he focused on the energy within his body. At this point, it was still so far so good. Then while channeling his Mana, Jaco intended to create a small and contained fire within his palm. The first stage went smoothly as the Mana inside was channeled throughout his being without any hiccups.


    Then once the fuel reached its apex, it was ignited. A flame was born that stayed within the palm of his hand. The moment it sparked into existence, Jaco held his breath. For a second he remained tense while half expecting a nauseous backlash to suddenly scatter it into nothing. Fortunately for him, it didn¡¯t come.


    The Druid breathed out a sigh of relief. Just to be certain, he maintained the fire for several more seconds. After that bit of time passed, he then put a bit more power behind it and allowed the flames to flare for just a moment. Luckily for him, that didn¡¯t lead to any negative reaction either.


    Now, even with this test, he couldn¡¯t be completely certain. That would only come upon ensuring that an actually big attack wouldn¡¯t cause any sudden issues. But for the time being, he was just glad to see that there didn¡¯t appear to be any permanent damage. That idea had honestly been a real fear that had planted itself in the back of his mind. However, at least now it looked like that idea could be thankfully dismissed as just him worrying too much.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Still, the fact that it happened at all is concerning. I¡¯ll need to be careful about my usage of the Devil¡¯s Essence. I can¡¯t really stop myself from relying on it now that the Secondary Class seems to basically be a permanent feature, but at the end of the day, it¡¯s a power whose origin isn¡¯t actually me. It''s too late to really do anything about it now, but I should try to be careful in the future.


    He could still recall that moment of empowering the crossbow. How it felt like the Devil¡¯s Essence that covered the environment itself was temporarily at his beck and call. Thanks to that, he¡¯d been able to put all his energy and then some into the Hell Crossbow to charge it nearly instantly. But when considering how it impacted him shortly afterward, it was likely best, he figured, if he didn¡¯t do that again.


    Jaco glanced up at the sky and the clouds that still covered it. The darker ones that carried the sudden storm and Spectre swarm were gone now, leaving behind the usual orange-red. It was almost funny how much he¡¯d gotten used to these clouds.


    So much so that when he tried to picture the blue sky before the Apocalypse, he had to truly focus to prevent the image from slipping back into that orange-red. A couple of months logically weren¡¯t that long, relatively speaking. But to him, it still felt like an entire lifetime had already passed.


    In any case, that was enough time spent on just reminiscing. The three of them had been resting here for a little while by now. And even after the brief conversation downstairs wrapped up, he¡¯d given them about an additional half an hour or so. At this point, however, it was probably best if they got back to it and kept moving.


    When Jaco got back down to the ground floor and stepped into the building, Sam and Evelyn had already begun to get up, already understanding what his coming down meant. His gaze met those of the former, and he gave her a nod of approval.


    ¡°Congrats on your Class Evolution. One look¡¯s all I needed to see what it¡¯s already done you good,¡± he said.


    And Jaco was being honest with his assessment. There was just something about the quality of her presence that seemed to be a full step up from before. Like anyone else, he assumed, who reached this stage, the current Sam stood on an entirely different level from her pre-evolution self in terms of what she would now be capable of.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam replied.


    With that, the three of them then made their way back out of their temporary shelter. They were in too deep now to simply back off without getting more results. The existence of a Demon was one thing learned, but it didn¡¯t teach them much. It was little more than a warning. They desired more tangible, concrete information. Something that could actually prove to be useful, that might give them any kind of advantage.


    Of course, after their last encounter, they did so much more cautiously now. The main change to their approach was that Jaco would always scout ahead before doubling back. That way nothing would take them by surprise by sneaking up on them quickly again.


    While he was alone during these periods, Jaco ensured his own stealth through the use of One with Nature. Passive Abilities like this were even more interesting than he¡¯d expected, now that he had more since obtaining his first. From a standard point of view, only Wild Constitution could be described as truly passive. It required absolutely no input from him, and simply built up its effect as he took more and more damage.


    The same couldn¡¯t be said for One with Nature and Permanent Aspect One, which both required at least some conscious input. The former needed to be flipped on like a switch. While the latter did work passively, ongoing in the background, it did need him to change out which aspect was currently being used.


    But those idle thoughts were quickly put aside as Jaco spotted a group of Demidemons.


    Taurling (Demidemon)


    Level: 42


    Taurling (Demidemon)


    Level: 43


    He spotted a few more, making seven of the creatures in total. All of them were in the low 40s, with the highest he saw being right at the halfway point of Level 45. If that was the upper limit of Taurlings, did that actually mean the weaker Minotaurs were Level 46? From what he¡¯d seen so far, at least, that did seem to be a distinct possibility.


    But rather than engage, Jaco just went back to Sam and Evelyn and led them to a different route. For now, it would be better to avoid fighting unless absolutely necessary. They were in the heart of the monster-filled city. It¡¯d be all too easy for a fight to attract other things to their position until they were eventually overwhelmed.


    The three of them continued to play the game of slow and steady wins the race. As they got deeper in, the undead they might have expected were more frequently replaced by Demidemons. These were Taurlings, for the most part. Which tended to remain in groups of between three and ten, and seemed to simply be patrolling the streets in a fairly predictable pattern.


    Occasionally, they would instead avoid Minotaurs. These monsters maintained the behavioral pattern that Jaco had seen in the one he first fought. They were usually spotted just one at a time, either on their own or leading a group of the more powerful undead. However, there were those that broke from this convention. Every once in a while, Jaco had to take care not to grab the attention of a pair of Minotaurs that walked side by side.


    It was in one such case that Jaco was forced to pause. Sam and Evelyn were following behind him from about a block away. A decent distance in that it¡¯d let them stay out of sight while he scouted, but still remain close enough for his senses to pick up anything heading directly for the two of them. But now he¡¯d come to a stop as he observed another pair of Minotaurs standing directly in the middle of the road.


    What are they doing? Jaco asked himself after about half a minute had passed. In that time, there had been little to no movement from the monsters. It was only the occasional snort that reminded him that they were even alive, and hadn¡¯t died on their feet.


    And then it, or rather, he came. From a side street, a lone man approached the pair. His pace was brisk, but his expression was a casual smile. And as he walked over, Jaco¡¯s nose crinkled. It didn¡¯t take him long to recognize who it was.


    Levi, the leader of the Chosen Few. The Minotaurs only snorted as he stopped in front of them. But rather than show any open hostility, they just lowered their heads. Jaco took a few cautious steps forward to get a bit closer. As he did so, he was able to overhear the low murmur of a hushed voice.


    Are they actually able to understand him and have a conversation? Jaco wondered. He couldn¡¯t make out any exact words, which was a little frustrating. For a second, the Druid was tempted to get even closer so that he could actually hear what was being said. But the idea was dispelled by his more cautious self.


    The awareness of the Minotaurs was not to be wholly underestimated. And then there was Levi himself, whose true capabilities were still largely a question mark. However, perhaps that latter fact was something he could now see a bit more into. He should at least be close enough to see how the other man had progressed since their last encounter.


    Spellblade (Human)


    Evolved (Conditional Magus)


    Level: 47


    His eyes narrowed upon seeing the notification. The leader of the Chosen Few¡¯s current Level was of course the thing he quickly focused on.


    Hmm. He¡¯s already a full Level higher than me, he thought. During their last encounter, Jaco had been ahead by two Levels. But now that gap was closed, and then some. Yet in retrospect, it wasn¡¯t too surprising.


    After the Chosen had attacked the camp with a horde of undead, Jaco¡¯s fighting time had been rather minimal. He¡¯d only really gotten three decent sources of Experience Points in total over the last couple of days, those being the Black Skeletons and Revenant that he encountered, then the swarm of Spectres from earlier that same day, and then, most recently, the Minotaur. And technically the undead he killed right before collapsing, but at this point, a bunch of weak Skeletons was likely no better than a rounding error in his EXP. So in his mind, those didn¡¯t really count.


    Between these encounters, Jaco had largely spent his time assisting with the encampment¡¯s reconstruction. A worthwhile endeavor in general, but¡­ just not when it came to the path of gaining Levels.


    On the other hand, it¡¯s not like Levi would be able to kill Minotaurs. Unless¡­ maybe he can without it impacting whatever screwed-up alliance they¡¯ve made? No way to really know, so not much point thinking about it. Anyway, with the Stats from my Secondary Class, I probably should have the advantage when it comes to total Stats. Assuming that his main Class and Class Evolution give the same amount, anyway.


    However, Jaco was forced to recognize that this was a very big assumption to make. The only thing he knew for sure was that, at least according to Levi¡¯s own claim, the man also had a Rare Class like himself. Exactly how strong was he? The System did seem to prefer a sort of Stat balance when it came to Classes within the same rarity tier, but Jaco honestly didn¡¯t know if all Rare Classes were created equal.


    Something else he didn¡¯t know was if Levi¡¯s Class Evolution had also been a Rare one. It was probably safer to assume so, in order not to underestimate him. Yet all the same, Jaco wished, not for the first time, that there was more information about how all this stuff worked. For the moment, though, all he and anyone else could do was guesswork, piecing together theories from what few scraps of info they did have.


    But all this thinking led to one important question. Between his Class and Secondary Class, and everything they granted his overall repertoire, did Jaco feel confident in a fight? Assuming it was just a one-versus-one, did he believe that he could currently defeat the leader of the Chosen Few?


    Truthfully, Jaco just wasn¡¯t sure. He continued to stare at Levi with a deep frown. He tried to analyze the danger that a gut feeling was now warning him about.


    Something about him is just¡­ off. He¡¯s not more powerful than me or anything, as far as I can tell. But I can¡¯t help but feel that there¡¯s just something inherently dangerous about him now. And whatever it is, it definitely wasn¡¯t there last time, he thought.


    As Jaco watched, their conversation seemed to wrap up. Yet rather than go their separate ways, the Minotaurs just started to go forward in one direction as Levi followed from close behind. Jaco¡¯s brows were furrowed with suspicion.


    Should his team also stick to them and continue to follow themselves? Would it lead to them gaining even more information on what exactly Levi¡¯s plan was and why he was dealing with the Demidemons? Or was that perhaps what the Chosen Few¡¯s leader wanted him to think? Maybe Jaco and the others had already been spotted by him, and now they were about to be led into a trap.


    No, why would they need to rely on a trap? They would have the advantage in both numbers and overall Level. There¡¯d be no reason to rely on trickery when you have superior power, right? Jaco asked himself.


    Yet before he could make a decision to keep going or retreat, the Minotaurs came to a sudden stop. The Druid immediately tensed, worried that he had indeed already been spotted. As Jaco stared at them, he eventually had to blink. And the moment after he did, his eyes widened with fright.


    For in that moment, the Demon from before had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. It wasn¡¯t even looking his way, instead just starting down at the human being escorted by the Minotaurs. But even so, Jaco still felt beads of sweat run down his back.


    Even the slightest movement was no longer an option now. All he could do was pray that One with Nature would hold up with the current distance between him and them.

 Chapter 72:

    ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet in person¡­ sir,¡± Levi said, adding that last part after a moment of hesitation.


    He then gave a slight bow, keeping his gaze on the ground. His back was turned toward Jaco, so it was hard to see his current expression without moving first. At Levi¡¯s sides, the Minotaurs had each already gotten down to kneel.


    It was almost amusing to see the normally arrogant man bowing before the Demon¡­ almost. Because if Jaco had to be completely honest with himself, he wasn¡¯t exactly feeling cocky right now. Not when a true monster like that was within sight. That alone already made it far too close for comfort.


    Impure Iranes (Demon)


    Level: ?


    Impure? Okay, so what the Hell is a pure one of these things supposed to be like, then?


    The fact that Jaco couldn¡¯t even see its Level wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Yet the confirmation was still enough to send a chill up his spine. Now that it was a lot closer than before, when it was flying through the air, he even had the misfortune of getting a much better look at it.


    The Demon was tall, even more so than the Minotaurs or Jaco when he stood at his full height in his bear form. But at the same time, it¡ªor was it close enough to human to be a ¡°he¡±¡ªwasn¡¯t overall as big. Jaco had assumed it would be equally muscular when he initially saw it from a distance in the sky. But he had been staring at its back with its wings in the way, so now he could see that his assumption actually wasn¡¯t quite accurate.


    If he had to describe its general build in one word, it¡¯d be spindly. Its arms and legs were all extremely thin, practically sticks with a layer of red skin tightly stretched over them. The rest of its body was similarly emaciated, with virtually no muscle or fat on its frame. It looked almost like a person who¡¯d already been starving for weeks on end, and was now at death¡¯s door.


    That was where the humanoid comparison came to an end, as it had several characteristics that it made very clearly not human. For one thing, it actually had two pairs of arms. The top ones were currently crossed as the Demon smugly looked down on the human in front of it while the bottom two were placed behind its back, hidden from sight. But being able to see its visible hands, Jaco knew he wouldn¡¯t want it to hit him.


    Rather than normal fingers, the Demon simply had four claws on each hand. They were maybe about a foot long with a slight curve, but more concerning was that they were also serrated. Each claw had a series of small spikes across its edge. Just one look at them was all he needed to understand that they would easily shred his flesh even if he dumped all his Unspent Points into Endurance at that instant.


    Moving on, the next things of note were the Demon¡¯s wings. It had three pairs that could be described as bat-like, and were all coming out of its back. When fully stretched out, each pair¡¯s wingspan was easily longer than the Demon was tall. Though it should have been cumbersome to fly with the three on each side right next to one another, it seemed to have no trouble, from what he saw earlier.


    Finally, there was the head. Out of all its features, this was simultaneously the least Demon-like yet also the most unnerving. There were no horns on top of its skull or spikes or anything like that. There weren¡¯t any sharp teeth either, because that would require it to have a mouth. Something which it entirely lacked, along with a nose, ears, and hair. Its head was almost entirely smooth and devoid of anything else, with just one exception. Eyes, or at least what might be called an equivalent to a normal pair of eyes.


    What it had instead were two coal-like spheres on the front of its head. They seemed to be pressed into its flesh as if it were made from soft clay. And as it stared down at the leader of the Chosen Few, a faint trail of smoke rose from the pieces of coal.


    ¡°Mmm, you were once nothing more than a young human,¡± the Demon proclaimed. Its words seemed to emanate out equally in all directions, while its voice sounded like two rough stones being scraped against each other. Just listening to it was enough to make Jaco wince, as this was a moment when he regretted his superhuman hearing.


    ¡°But now I see one who has been steeped in blood. Who has wrought death upon his own kind. A traitor of your species who has allied himself with those who bring devastation onto your world. It is no wonder that you managed to strike a chord with my servants. Tell me, human, what name do you go by?¡± the Demon asked.


    ¡°My name is Levi, sir.¡±


    ¡°You may drop the ¡®sir,¡¯ Levi. There is no need for such polite language between two fellow servants. Compared to the highest of powers, we are equally small under his thumb. But before anything is official, I must ask you one question. Tell me what it is that you seek above all else. What would you be willing to kill for? To die for? To commit every known atrocity and then some in a dogged pursuit to claim that which you seek?¡±


    As the Impure Iranes spoke, it had begun to circle the human. As it did so, Jaco was able to see that it actually had another feature on the back of its head. It was a second pair of coal-like eyes.


    To his credit, Levi didn¡¯t just immediately spew out any random answer. He seemed to seriously contemplate the question and take his time to think about it. A full minute very slowly passed by as Levi continued to stare at the ground. But the Demon was apparently happy with waiting, as it made no move to rush him.


    As the scene continued to stretch on, Jaco heard something come from behind him. It sounded like a small rock hitting the ground. The Druid¡¯s face further paled with horror as a connection was immediately made within his mind. He tried to subtly turn around to look. And unfortunately, his assumption was proved correct, as he saw Sam and Evelyn approaching him.


    The good news was that they were moving slowly and quietly in an attempt to be inconspicuous. One of them must have accidentally kicked a pebble, which had only been loud enough for someone like him to hear. Though if it hadn''t already been for his stress from the current tension, he might have dismissed the sound as just a piece of concrete falling from a building. Otherwise, they were at least doing a decent job of being stealthy. But that still wasn¡¯t enough to overturn the simple fact that they were getting closer to him, and by extension, the Demon.


    Well, fuck! They must have gotten worried that I was taking too long. What the Hell do I do?! Jaco internally cursed. It was his fault. He should have realized that something like this might happen. A situation where he¡¯d be frozen in place by an extreme threat, and the two of them could act accordingly with a premade plan.


    But it hadn¡¯t come up before, and he had foolishly assumed that at least one of them would quickly spot the Demon if it left the fort and took to the sky again. So without anything planned beforehand, of course their first instinct was to check in on him after too much time had passed.


    But Jaco knew that a disaster was now imminent. The Demon and those with it were standing at a spot that was just past the left turn of the intersection. So from his position, he was currently looking at them from an angle. It was a good place to be in, keeping him hidden while still allowing him to use One with Nature.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Because as long as he didn¡¯t get any closer or make any sudden moves, Jaco shouldn¡¯t get spotted unless they looked directly at him while paying close attention. And considering that the Demon hadn¡¯t noticed him so far, it didn¡¯t seem to have any automatic detection powers or anything like that.


    But the angle that he was standing at was now presenting a drawback. It meant that until Sam and Evelyn were basically standing right next to him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to see the danger that was waiting just ahead.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t been spotted yet, the same likely wouldn¡¯t be true for them. While they were already being cautious, the two of them had no idea what to actually expect and wouldn¡¯t be prepared. The Druid considered the most direct method of preventing them from getting closer. If he just raised an earthen wall to cut their path off, the message that implied should be crystal clear.


    But did he dare actually do it? The actual physical motion to do so would only take a minimum bit of movement on his part. However, what about the channeling of Mana that it would require? Could the Demon detect something like that? It hadn¡¯t noticed the ongoing use of his Passive Ability, but what about an Active one that would actually use a fair amount of Mana in the process? Would that single act just hasten their doom anyway?


    Jaco had no idea what a Demon¡¯s powers were like when it came to sensing Mana. So without any knowledge to form a basis with, this decision effectively felt like a coin flip. That was not a gamble he was currently willing to make. Especially not when it was other lives besides just his own that would be on the line.


    Perhaps there was a better solution. But he was currently on a time limit and didn¡¯t have the luxury to endlessly think about every possible option. Jaco was forced to very quickly make a choice. In the end, he decided to go with something that still felt risky, but was hopefully on the lower end of the risk spectrum.


    Considering their eyelike placement, at least on the front side, he just had to assume that the Demon¡¯s spherical coals weren¡¯t just for the show. Why else would it have eyes on the back of its head if they didn¡¯t serve any purpose, right?


    The Demon was still walking in a circle around Levi. The Minotaurs and leader of the Chosen Few were both facing away from Jaco anyway, so they weren¡¯t as big of a concern. So he waited, his muscles tensed as he watched for the perfect opportunity to come.


    There was only one moment that he could make use of: when the Demon was turning. The point when only a side of its head faced him, and ideally acted as a blind spot. If he was lucky enough for that to be how its vision worked, anyway. If it could actually just see everything within 360 degrees, then Jaco¡¯s plan was already dead in the water.


    The instant his chance came, Jaco was already acting. His planned movement was intended to be no less than perfect. Ducking away from the corner would have been a simple act. But he was not only turning, he was trying to do so flawlessly. There was no wasted motion as he moved backward, and his feet didn¡¯t even so much as budge a single one of the many pebbles strewn about.


    Jaco¡¯s breath was caught in his throat as he waited for something to go wrong. For the high-Level monster to take notice and react. But as he then slipped out of its possible line of sight, there was nothing. Yet even then, he didn¡¯t dare release that breath until he was further back by more than another twenty feet.


    Now actually able to face them and move as he liked, Jaco raised a hand to signal his companions to stop. They did so, though they seemed confused. Confusion which then quickly turned to worry as the two of them saw just how pale the Druid¡¯s face had become. Before either of them said anything, he pressed a finger to his lips. Jaco then walked over to meet them, still trying to make as little noise as he could.


    When Jaco reached them, he very quietly began to summarize what he¡¯d seen so far. His voice was barely a whisper, so the two of them really had to concentrate to actually be able to hear what he said. With how relatively close they still were to the Demon, this was the highest level of noise he deemed safely acceptable. As they listened, their eyes widened with shock as they realized just how close they¡¯d come to what would be practically guaranteed death.


    After giving them this quick rundown, the Druid then began to add on his own thoughts about what they should do next.


    ¡°This is the gold mine of information we¡¯ve been looking for. I have an idea. I should still be able to easily overhear what they¡¯re saying if I just get a little closer again. As long as we don¡¯t make any loud noises, this spot should be safe as is. I think you guys should still get farther back and find a spot to hide, just in case they move toward us. That way¡ª¡± Jaco then paused as he heard a voice around the corner.


    ¡°Power,¡± Levi began.


    Pursing his lips, Jaco left his last sentence unfinished as he crept a bit closer. They weren¡¯t too far, but he wanted to be a little closer, to reliably hear anything that was said in a low voice. Even then, Jaco would still be too far to peer around the corner and actually be able to see anything, but he¡¯d rather stick to being safe than sorry. As he moved forward, the leader of the Chosen Few continued to speak.


    ¡°More than anything else, I need the kind of power that makes nobody even dare to challenge me. To take what I want, when I want, because who¡¯s going to stop me? If I have enough of that, then anything I could ever desire would easily be mine too.¡±


    The Demon then stopped its encirclement. A few seconds of silence then passed, until a horrid noise filled the street. It was as if someone had taken a bag of rocks and then tossed them into a blender. Jaco internally swore as he was forced to cover his ears. It felt like someone was taking a pair of screwdrivers, twisting them around inside his ears, and poking them into his brain.


    ¡°Good! Good!¡± the Demon said, before the horrible sound came again. Jaco could then only wonder if it was its painful version of¡­ laughter?


    ¡°That is the correct response! Very well, by my status as amongst the first true Demons to reach this world, I shall grant you the highest of honors. You may join me in returning to my home through the Gate, and have an audience of none other than the King of Hell! If you wish for ultimate power, then he is the one who can give it.¡±


    ¡°It would be my honor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes it would be. You call your group of humans the Chosen Few, yes? A normally foolish notion, but one that can be made a reality for yourself if my liege accepts you. Consider yourself truly lucky, for even other Demons above my station would slaughter all in their path for just a chance to receive a boon from him. If you survive, that is!¡± it exclaimed before the blending of rocks again returned.


    ¡°I thank you for this opportunity, then. When will we be able to go?¡± Levi asked.


    ¡°Very soon. There is just one thing you must learn about the expected etiquette within Hell. Especially while inside the domain of our master.¡±


    The Impure Iranes was then in the middle of the street, seemingly appearing there without having moved. From what happened before and now this, a part of the Druid¡¯s mind made the connection that the monster likely had the power to teleport. But that was a tiny detail before the fact that it was looking straight at them.


    ¡°Eavesdrop for too long, and you will eventually be caught.¡±


    Its hand was already raised, aimed straight at Jaco and the two others directly behind him. The Demon¡¯s claws were enveloped by a red-black energy that seemed to distort the very air around it. Just one look was all his instincts needed to scream that this energy carried a death sentence for him. One that could not be avoided or blocked by him, no matter what he attempted.


    Oh shi¡ªAs the thought was still midway through Jaco¡¯s mind, a beam of pure white suddenly descended between them and the Demon, burning into the earth.


    ¡°You¡­ it seems we missed a spot with removing your kind,¡± the Impure Iranes said as it lowered its claws. Behind the almost-blinding light, the pair of coals on its face now glowed red hot, as though they were on the cusp of catching aflame. From behind its head, two columns of now much darker and thicker smoke trailed up into the air.


    A moment later, the beam dispersed to reveal the figure within. Jaco¡¯s eyes flashed with recognition as a pair of feathered wings were stretched out. Though her main body was still that of just a little human girl, the white wings and aura of golden light could not be mistaken for anything else.


    The Guardian Angel he previously saved had now arrived. Jaco could not know the expressions of the two women standing behind him without turning around. The utterly dumbfounded face of the leader of the Chosen, however, was plain for him to see.


    In her right hand, there was a spear that seemed to be made of pure, condensed golden light. In her left, she had a similarly made construct in the form of a shield. The Angel¡¯s aura flickered, sometimes appearing as light surrounding her while other times being a translucent suit of armor.


    She pointed her spear at the Demon. ¡°Foul creature whose presence stains this world! These souls are not meant to be your quarry, and this one cannot tolerate their light being snuffed! Flee now like the coward you are, or meet the challenge of this spear and face justice for your unholy transgressions against creation!¡±

 Chapter 73:

    The Impure Iranes threw its head back. ¡°Fine, then! It has already been too long since I last tasted an Angel¡¯s blood! The rest of you, this foolish girl is mine, so you go deal with the other humans!¡±


    After barking out that order, it jumped. The Demon flew dozens of feet into the air, before it slowly came to a hover and began to levitate in place. Just a moment after it had leapt upward, the Angel flapped her wings and just as quickly ascended in pursuit of her foe.


    Yet just as the Angel and Demon started their battle for real, Jaco quickly tore his gaze away and sent it back downward. At the moment, watching the pair clash would just be a distraction. One that he couldn¡¯t afford with the other enemies still before him, still just around the corner. They would have to fight their own battle against Levi and the Minotaurs.


    The Druid glanced back at the two companions who were still standing behind him. Their expressions were already hardened. They had prepared themselves for the fight to come, and they tightly held their weapons. Evelyn and Sam likely already understood the stakes. While it was a three-versus-three, the disparity in total Levels between the two sides was obvious. Even though Jaco was respectably within a Minotaur¡¯s range, the two of them were behind by so much more.


    He already understood that the Demon and Angel taking to the air had acted as the starting gun. As such, it would just be a few more seconds before their three opponents charged over and reached them. So if he wanted to say anything substantial to his teammates now, this would be his only chance, and then the chaotic fighting would ensue. It then only took him a split second to think about what needed to be said. He quickly make a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to take them head-on while you guys support me! But if you ever need to run, then just run!¡± Jaco hurriedly said as he also readied himself.


    He didn¡¯t even wait for a response before immediately moving forward. The faster he could intercept the Demidemons midway, the better. While the Druid ran, his body had already begun to shift in shape and size. The deep breath he exhaled on his way turned into a deep, rumbling growl as the most reliable transformation of his Lesser Shapeshift took hold.


    Ability Temporarily Restricted:


    Lesser Beast Transformation


    Temporary Ability Acquired:


    Fearsome Roar


    Temporary Ability Acquired:


    Wrathful Claws


    Jaco spared no expense as he went all out, beginning to stack his other Abilities. While the other modifications of Lesser Beast Transformation were restricted, there was still the free slot granted by his Passive Ability. Which was, of course, used to double-dip into the bear aspect and further enhance his current form.


    Next he utilized both Primal Ferocity and Manifestation of the Wild Elemental. One to harden and strengthen his body with a stonelike appearance and the latter to more literally turn his outer layer of flesh into stone and toughen it even further. Using both Abilities in tandem like this would drain his Mana like crazy.


    Depending on how long the fight dragged out, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if his reserves would be next to empty after all was said and done. But even though it¡¯d then leave him relatively vulnerable to any new high Level threats, he simply couldn¡¯t afford to do anything less. Heck, it was only due to his investment into Spell Power as his highest Stat that he was able to even pull this off. That being said, his Ability stacking still wasn¡¯t quite done yet.


    While he¡¯d already done everything he could with his Druid Abilities while being mindful about his overall Mana usage, there was something else. Jaco still had the powers granted by his Secondary Class. Which relied not on Mana for its resource, but instead used the Devil¡¯s Essence.


    I really hope this won¡¯t screw me over, though, Jaco thought. A part of him was still a bit nervous about what happened with the crossbow just earlier. While the near-instant charge had been a major boon, the drawback that came shortly after was practically crippling. If it happened now and caused the same thing to occur while he was still actively channeling Mana, the obvious consequence would speak for itself.


    He put all of his focus into it. Into his desire to maintain full regulation of the Devil¡¯s Essence stored within him. To use only that, and not accidently take directly from the environment and get overwhelmed by what¡¯d be too much power for him to handle. As soon as Jaco began to channel the energy, he felt it. The desire for more, and the Devil¡¯s Essence in the air¡¯s own desire to rush into him and be at his beck and all.


    ¡ª--


    In the sky above, the Demon and Angel continued their own battle. But as the Impure Iranes was in the middle of an attack, it suddenly faltered. If the monster had a mouth, it would currently be frowning as it felt a shift. What it sensed now was oddly familiar, but somehow different from what it had sensed before in its life. Yet more importantly, it was wholly unexpected and momentarily broke its concentration.


    That opening was a chance the Guardian Angel immediately saw and just as quickly capitalized on. For allowing itself to get distracted, the Demon was punished with a thrust of her golden spear.


    The Demon quickly snapped back into reality and attempted to dodge at the last second. The speartip aimed for the chest missed its mark, but still pierced into the Inares¡¯ left shoulder. No blood flowed from the wound, but even a Demon felt pain as its mouthless hiss sounded like stone scraping against glass.


    What the Impure Iranes sensed before was then thrown to the back of its mind for later consideration. Such things were just distractions that it couldn¡¯t afford at the moment. Its head now fully back in the fight, it was forced to refocus its attention on the old enemy before it.


    ¡ª-


    He¡¯d done it, and just time too. Out of all his Blight Warlock Abilities, he had picked Zone of Blight as his playing card of choice. The Rotting Summon would just get immediately squashed, and the Pestilent Swarm didn¡¯t feel like a good choice while also in a melee brawl. The zone, however, worked passively in the background, making it one of the Passive Abilities in pretty much all but name. As long as he continued to focus and channel energy into it, the Ability would remain ongoing.


    But even if he could only reliably use one Secondary Class Ability right now, that had its own advantage. With no other Abilities that required the Devil¡¯s Essence, he could just channel everything into maximizing the zone¡¯s power. The only additional change Jaco consciously made was a restriction on its overall area.


    It¡¯d been a fifty-foot sphere when he first obtained it. Between both an increase in Levels to his Secondary Class and Stats, however, that maximum range had grown by quite a bit. Right now, though, that¡¯d just be a potential hindrance if Evelyn got caught in it, with her being a close-range fighter.


    It wouldn¡¯t hurt him as the caster, that much he knew from testing as much while dealing the swarm of Spectres. But filtering allies out was something he hadn¡¯t practiced. Heck, Jaco didn¡¯t even currently know for sure if such a thing would even be possible, or if it would be indiscriminate rot for everything besides him.


    So for the moment, he heavily restricted the area of effect. As he planned on getting up close and personal with the Minotaurs anyway, keeping it to a melee-ranged bubble should be fine.


    The Druid only wished that he had the time to also down his Hell Elixirs. Unfortunately, though, that just wasn¡¯t the case. It was either consume those, or get all his Abilities running at high gear from the start. There wasn¡¯t enough time to do both.


    And while Jaco could have just downed the Elixirs during the initial delay and started using his Abilities afterward, it still would have left a potential opening. While his bear form would easily draw their attention out of the gate, any delay might have sent them instead toward Sam and Evelyn. His gut had told him that the risks of preparing with both methods were a bit too high for his liking, so the decision had been an easy one to make.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    As he finished, the Druid turned the corner, now also ready to face those he was about to meet. He had become a bear larger than any that naturally roamed the planet, whose body made him look like a living statue.


    His gaze darted around. Jaco spotted two of three enemies in the form of the pair of Minotaurs. The leader of the Chosen Few, however, was nowhere to be seen. Had he actually run off, or was it just a trick? Either way, it didn¡¯t change what had to happen next.


    Minotaur (Demidemon)


    Level: 47


    Minotaur (Demidemon)


    Level: 49


    Weaker one first, Jaco thought as he identified his target. The sooner he could take it out and not have to worry about it anymore, the better.


    His body already pumped full of adrenaline, the Druid rapidly began his strategy to divide and conquer. Step one? Make the first part of that saying a lot more literal at this moment. With a stomp, a thick wall of earth was erected directly between the two Demidemons. The stronger of the two was now forced to the side and put out of sight, while his priority target was now locked into a one-versus-one.


    Jaco already understood that this would just be a temporary obstacle. While the earthen barrier was pretty tough, he could only do so much while remaining aware of his current Mana consumption. It would likely only take several seconds for the other Minotaur to get over any initial surprise it was feeling, and then attack the wall. Something that would only likely take a swing or two for it to actually accomplish. But hopefully the time that it would have to waste would be more than enough.


    He charged at his foe, throwing his stony flesh forward to go even faster and actively moving the Zone of Blight with him. The Minotaur then entered its range. Unfortunately, the zone didn¡¯t do anything as drastic as immediately deteriorating its body by any noticeable degree. But it didn¡¯t need to have that big of an effect to still be helpful.


    If one were to hit a person in the face with a strong punch, they might be able to fracture something. But what about repeating the same strike against an already-rotten corpse? Well, in that case, one¡¯s fist could go straight through the relatively soft body. Even if it was just a bit decomposed, getting the Minotaur¡¯s own flesh and bone closer to that state was all Jaco desired.


    With a roar, he barreled toward his opponent. The Minotaur raised its own weapon in turn, and the blade emitted a glint of light. Jaco continued to charge forward, mentally prepared to adapt to any effect the artifact was about to produce. Yet rather than something like a swing to blast him away or growing much larger in size, the only thing that happened was that a dark aura now enveloped the edge.


    It wasn¡¯t the flashiest of powers, but Jaco¡¯s gut still warned him of danger through a low thrum. He had the instinctual feeling that if that axe pierced his flesh, the true threat would be clear. But that was only if it managed to do so.


    He raised his front paws and stood on his hind legs as the Minotaur swung its artifact. Sparks flew as the bear¡¯s claws met the weapon¡¯s edge. For just a split second, there was invisible war. Like arm wrestlers, they and the power within them pushed against one another.


    Then the balance just as quickly broke down, and a grunt escaped Jaco¡¯s mouth as he was knocked backward. He stumbled back several steps before falling onto all four paws. The Minotaur also took a couple steps away, slightly widening the small gap currently between them.


    The Druid shook his head, now feeling a bit dizzy. It would take him just a second to recover, however. In the clash just now, he realized, between the two of them, he¡¯d been the one who was ultimately pushed back. Of course, Jaco already knew the reason for the result the moment he pulled away.


    Without the boost of his Strength-based Hell Elixir, he simply lost out in the department of physical power. With it, he¡¯d been on the losing side during his fight against the original Minotaur, but had been respectably not too far behind it. Compared to the much wider Level gap back then, this Demidemon being only just a single Level ahead made a massive difference.


    He relied on his gut instincts to internalize the estimated difference in might. With just his raw Strength and current Abilities, this Minotaur only had a slight edge over him. If he could have consumed his Hell Elixir, Jaco would have been able to gain a much larger advantage in Strength and overpower it. But even without the time to drink one down, this was already something he could work with.


    Because if the goal was to simply get ahead of it in pure Strength, then that could be easily done. The huge bear grinned, revealing the rows of long, sharp teeth that would make a regular grizzly¡¯s look like baby teeth in comparison. In front of him, a golden screen appeared.


    With a vicious snarl, Jaco charged toward his Minotaur once again. The Demidemon, having recovered from its own daze after their prior clash, then roared as it raised its weapon for round two. It did so readily, also understanding how it¡¯d come ahead in their last exchange of blows. Once again, the edge of its weapon met his claws as they attacked one another. Hot steam rushed out of the monster¡¯s nostrils as it swung with all its might. Its artifact glinted with light and again became empowered.


    But this time, the winner was practically predetermined. Still snarling, the Druid made use of his newly received surge of Strength and smashed his claws into the weapon¡¯s edge. From off to the side, there came the sound of the stone wall being smashed through. But Jaco didn¡¯t even worry about that. His instincts told him to just keep moving forward.


    From the unexpected Strength increase behind the impact, the Minotaur was thrown off-balance, stumbling backward. Keeping the momentum, Jaco used his elemental control to throw his stone body forward and into the Demidemon. There was an audible crack as the heavy hit undoubtedly broke several ribs and knocked the Minotaur to the ground.


    Hearing the heavy thumps of hoofbeats, he hurried even more and rushed for the fallen monster. Everything considered unnecessary was cast out of his mind as Jaco focused on one task and one task only. Kill his enemy before it even gets the chance to stand back up.


    Without any hesitation, the bear pounced on his prey. From the ground, the Minotaur made a desperate swing into his side. The artifact¡¯s power was still in effect, but the awkward positioning made it difficult for the monster to summon the Strength necessary to pierce Jaco¡¯s defenses.


    As it harmlessly bounced off his body, his teeth had already sunk into the Demidemon¡¯s neck. The flesh now in his mouth was hot, and only grew hotter as steam billowed out. After taking critical damage, he¡¯d only have a short window before the Minotaur used its natural transformation.


    Luckily, Jaco didn¡¯t need that long. While the Minotaur had been stronger than him, Endurance was a different story. For a creature whose Level was equal to his Druid Class¡¯s, it wasn¡¯t nearly resilient enough to resist what was coming.


    The bear roughly jerked his head. The Minotaur¡¯s neck went with him to the right as his left paw kept the rest of its body pinned in place. His prey weakly bellowed as it desperately fought back. However, its struggle was in vain. Underneath him, Jaco felt its already-cracked ribs only break further as he pressed his weight down.


    A short moment later, there was a sickening pop as Jaco suddenly felt all resistance against his pulling come to an end. With a muffled grunt, he spat out the foreign object in his mouth. A metallic taste filled his mouth as the fur around his maw became dyed with crimson. And directly in front of him, the head of the Minotaur rolled until it came to a stop.


    From behind, Jaco then heard a thud as something heavy hit the ground. He turned to see that the other Minotaur was now down on a single knee as blood flowed from behind one kneecap. To its side, Jaco briefly met Evelyn¡¯s gaze as she continued to move, as golden blur, around the second Demidemon.


    The Minotaur began to swing its axe in an attempt to catch the one dashing around it. Before it could fully start its swing, however, a bolt of condensed Mana slammed into the back of its shoulder. The arcane strike drained its counterattack of momentum before it could even begin, leaving an opening for Evelyn to get another hit in at its armpit.


    Even with her aiming for weak points, her cuts so far were relatively shallow. Sam¡¯s Mana bolt had only done enough damage to draw a thin line of blood from its shoulder. Jaco knew that while the other Minotaur had been facing him, they¡¯d been able to sneak-attack this one from behind and catch it off guard. For now they kept its attention and left it disoriented. However, the fact that they could only damage it so much would have eventually given it a chance to gain its bearings and recover.


    But that was only true if they¡¯d been fighting it alone. While they still had the Minotaur distracted, he then charged in and slammed into its kneeling form. If it hadn¡¯t been for them, it would have gotten to Jaco just before he finished the first one off. It would have likely been able to transform, and make it a two-versus-one while in that temporary state.


    Jaco didn¡¯t let their help go to waste as he made full use of the opportunity given and barreled into the second Minotaur. The moment he slammed it into the earth, its grip around its weapon went loose. Still close by, Evelyn immediately came by and kicked the axe away before the Demidemon could take it back.


    Now that it was weaponless, the following result was a forgone conclusion. Before the Minotaur had the chance to try and push him off with just its own Strength, the bear¡¯s teeth had already found its neck. Then just a few seconds later, its head was the second to be torn off.


    The kill notifications were already there at the corner of his vision. But Jaco didn¡¯t pay them any mind as his head snapped around. It was too soon to do any celebrating or relax just yet. One issue was, Levi was still somewhere close by. At no point in the recent fighting had Jaco actually seen the leader of the Chosen Few. Yet the other man was still near, he just knew it.


    Now, just where could Levi be? Jaco asked himself.

 Chapter 74:

    Even without visual confirmation, Jaco¡¯s other senses didn¡¯t betray him. His sense of smell didn¡¯t indicate that Levi had run away. There was currently a light breeze that had changed directions a few times over the last few minutes. But he didn¡¯t rely on that alone. His hearing was the real evidence.


    While he¡¯d been fighting the Minotaurs, Jaco thought he heard occasional footsteps that didn¡¯t belong to either of his companions. Yet the sounds had been spread out in a circle, and came at seemingly random moments. It seemed that Levi was very carefully circling them, remaining cautious about betraying his movements.


    However, even now while he wasn¡¯t distracted from fighting, Jaco still couldn¡¯t pin him down. Going off smell and those random sounds, it seemed like Levi should have been close enough to at least spot him once while moving. But that hadn¡¯t been the case.


    Jaco didn¡¯t know if whatever was really going on was the result of an Ability or an artifact. It could have been a mix of both, as far as he knew. It was apparent that Levi¡¯s actual capabilities as a whole was still a major question mark. Even after both Sam and Evelyn had shared what they knew about his powers during a prior meeting, the info provided wasn¡¯t much at all.


    In all this time, since the early days of the Apocalypse, Sam had only known of one Ability that Levi used in front of others. One that made sense, with his Class being that of a Spellblade, its name indicating a blend of magic and swordplay. The Ability in question apparently had two parts to it.


    First, it acted as an all-around enhancement. An effect that made Levi¡¯s sword tougher in some respects, more flexible in others, and simply overall sharper. By itself, that wasn¡¯t anything to really write home about, as it would have been more like a bog-standard Passive Ability if that were all it could do. However, it was the second effect that made this Ability a lot more interesting.


    The prior buff was apparently more of a side effect than anything. For what the Ability truly did was prime Levi¡¯s blade to absorb and then later unleash other powers. It could be anything from a Warrior¡¯s Slash or Block to the spells from a Mage¡¯s Arcane Spellcasting. The Ability could even absorb something like the Martial Artist¡¯s Unarmed Strike and adjust it to be used with his blade instead of the intended bare fist.


    According to Sam, Levi had only ever shown himself able to store and use one absorbed power at a time. However, considering his true nature, she had no idea if that was the actual limit or just something he feigned at the time to keep its true capabilities a secret.


    With the knowledge of that one Ability, one question easily came to mind. They had only seen him use it with the Abilities of other people, and not with whatever additional powers he possessed. But Sam had only seen him use it before anyone would have discovered the existence of artifacts. Since then, amazingly powerful artifacts had been found, and even gathered by the Chosen Few. Could Levi even absorb their powers for himself? And if so, to what degree?


    Everything past that was just a further set of question marks, like¡­ what were his other Abilities as a Spellblade? Or, easily just as important, what new power did he get from choosing Conditional Magus as his Class Evolution? Because while ¡°conditional¡± did suggest its nature, who knew what the specific details actually were.


    So in Jaco¡¯s mind, everything and anything had to be kept in mind. His body swiveled in place as he scanned his surroundings, on the lookout for the other human. From a couple dozen feet behind him, Sam and Evelyn did the same. They didn¡¯t exchange any words, but just a brief glance¡¯s eye contact was enough to confirm that they were all wondering when Levi would make his move.


    However, something much more important was the battle still going on above them. It was by far the most crucial thing happening, as the Demon¡¯s victory would instantly invalidate any hope they had of survival. In that moment, their attention was forced to the skies above.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    An explosion rang out as the Angel¡¯s spear of golden light met with demonic claws enveloped in red energy. Both beings were sent flying back, with the Demon crashing through a building. Yet just a second later from inside, large vertical arcs of crimson cleanly cut the building into pieces before continuing their flight toward the Angel.


    The arcs only further grew in size as they flew, yet their target remained undaunted. She held out her free hand, from which a towering shield even larger than the buildings spring forth. The arcs slammed into the barrier, but only managed to crack it before they disappeared.


    With a cry of holy damnation, the Angel then raised her spear into the air. Responding to her will, the barrier was transformed into a wall of spears. As soon as they came to be, she sent them flying in the Demon¡¯s direction.


    That¡¯s¡­ woah, Jaco thought. His mouth was slightly open as he was truly awed by the spectacle of it all. And in the back of his mind, the Druid couldn¡¯t help but try to imagine himself in the fight as he was now.


    The Demon hadn¡¯t shown off much in terms of its powers. Yet just those red arcs of energy were far beyond a Warrior¡¯s Slash or what he could create with wind magic. The concrete structure they¡¯d cut through might as well have been made of butter for how easily and cleanly it was sliced apart.


    As for the barrage of golden spears just now, Jaco doubted that even his most defensive Abilities could even hold a candle. Even if he did everything that he¡¯d done before and added the Hell Elixirs, his gut told him that it wouldn¡¯t matter. Before those spears, even the form of a mighty bear would be rendered a bloodied porcupine.


    A mental image that the Demon made its own reality as it flew back out and into his sight. Its body was now riddled with holes, and it ripped one last spear out of its leg. Interestingly enough, there still wasn¡¯t any blood, or any sort of equivalent liquid, coming out of its many wounds.


    However, how it felt toward the damage already done was clear from how its coal-like eyes were now searingly red hot. It looked as though they would actually catch fire, as even without other facial features, its gaze toward the Angel was still obviously one of pure hatred. Her own expression still calm and collected with focus, the Angel just pointed her spear at her foe.


    ¡°Surrender now, fiend, and spare yourself from further suffering. Do so, and you shall receive the blessing of a swift death that your kind does not deserve. No matter your schemes, you Demons are not yet meant to roam this world. Look past your natural arrogance, and you shall see that the Gate¡¯s toll on crossing early has been made evident in this battle,¡± she declared.


    At her words, the smoke from the Demon only became heavier and darker. Its eyes only brightened even further¡­ until the young flame suddenly died out. The smoke all but disappeared as its battered form paused to hover in the air.


    ¡°Had we fought just a few days from now¡­ bah. Fine, I will admit it. As I am now in this condition, I cannot beat you.¡± It lowered its arms, and slouched forward. ¡°I surrender, Angel, so at least make good on your promise to make my death a swift one.¡±


    The Guardian Angel looked at the monster, her eyes cold and calculating. Yet even as she continued to stare, her foe did not move from its place. After a few seconds passed, she nodded. The Angel then raised her spear and positioned herself as if to throw it like a javelin.


    Jaco watched as even more golden light began to gather into it for what seemed to be some powerful, charged attack. All the while, the Impure Iranes continued to stare down at the ground in apparent acceptance of what was to come. There was still a distance of well over a hundred feet between them. So even if it tried something to sneak-attack the Angel, she would have plenty of time to¡ª


    ¡°But if I can¡¯t kill you, then I¡¯ll damn this human you care so much about!¡± the Demon yelled as it swooped straight for Jaco.


    Oh¡­ fuck! he inwardly cursed. As energy almost instantly gathered within the Demon¡¯s palm, his thoughts were racing.


    The last save from the Angel, when she¡¯d fired the beam between them, had just been him getting lucky. Just now, off to the side, she had still been in the middle of charging her spear. The Angel canceled the move a moment ago, but Jaco already knew it in his gut: the Demon had been smart to wait until she¡¯d been in the middle of something that would cause a delay to change, and put her on a time lag. Which meant that this time, the end would actually come for him.


    As soon as the thought crossed his mind, there was a flash of blinding, red light. Every muscle in his body was already tensed, just hoping that what was about to come would at least be quick and painless.

 Chapter 75:

    Despite knowing that it¡¯d be futile, Jaco found himself already trying to channel something that¡¯d give him even a chance to survive. The instincts that had kept him alive so far simply refused to give up even when his conscious self had. If attempting anything and everything could increase his chances of living from zero up to even just a fraction of a percent, then at least that would be infinitely better than doing nothing at all.


    Yet before anything could actually come of that attempt, the air around then began to seemingly twist and warp. The energy in the Demon¡¯s hand had shot out and should have hit before he even had time to react. And yet, for just a moment, what should have spelled his instant death was¡­ frozen. It and everything else in the world seemed to be put on pause. At the same time, Jaco¡¯s vision became filled with a golden light so bright that it blinded him to everything else.


    Fuuuuuuuu¡ªJaco internally groaned as the light reached its crescendo. It felt like something yanked him out of place with such power that it threw all his senses into disarray. His stomach became just as twisted as everything else had, almost threatening to pop like a balloon. These horrible sensations overwhelmed him, taking precedence over everything else.


    The Druid found his body shrinking in size as the stoney exterior gave way to regular flesh. Whatever was happening to him right now hadn¡¯t actually canceled his Abilities, at least not directly. What it had done was make it simply impossible to focus on their channeling. Even the Abilities that he¡¯d practiced so much that they only needed a sliver of his concentration to maintain still needed something. But right now, all of his attention was put into just hoping that he wasn¡¯t about to be squeezed like a fruit.


    The entire thing felt like it had already lasted for an eternity and would continue to last for an eternity longer. But somewhere in the gut that currently felt like it was being twisted into itself, he had a hunch that only a fraction of a second had actually passed. And then just an instant later, it all came to a sudden stop.


    The blinding gold disappeared as if a light switch had just been flipped. Jaco then found himself in the middle of the air, and had already begun to fall toward the earth as gravity claimed him. It only took a couple of moments and a few dozen feet for him to hit the ground.


    Still disoriented, Jaco landed directly onto his hands and knees with a thump. To fall in such a way from that height would have easily injured or even crippled a regular human. But with his high Endurance, of course, such an impact could easily be brushed off as just a light tumble.


    Jaco shook his head. Even though the blinding light itself was gone, there were still several dark spots left in his vision. He blinked rapidly, and only then looked up. He couldn''t help but be confused about what exactly it was that just happened, rather than the expected result of him dying. The blurriness slowly gave way to clarity as he looked around.


    What the Hell just happened to me? I¡ª


    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Jaco swore aloud. His eyes went wide with horror as his gaze settled on two figures. One was the Impure Iranes, whose coal-like eyes appeared brightened with smug satisfaction. And the other was someone who stood where Jaco had been standing just a few moments ago.


    The aura of golden armor that had been flickering out of existence was now completely gone. From the middle of her torso, silver blood poured out and had already begun to form a puddle on the street. The Angel was currently leaning against her spear for support just to keep herself upright, and on top of that, her shield had also disappeared.


    ¡°Ah, yes, and here is a power that practically all Guardian Angels have possessed. To instantly swap their position with an ally and take damage in their stead. Always an annoyance when trying to finish off a priority target. But at the same time, it¡¯s something that your kind will use so... predictably,¡± the Demon taunted.


    No, no, no, she didn¡¯t?! Jaco asked himself. A part of him legitimately couldn¡¯t believe it. But between the display in front of him and what the Demon just said, what happened a few seconds ago had now become clear.


    To save Jaco, the Angel had managed to swap places with him at the very last moment. She¡¯d done so just quick enough to prevent his death, but too late to try and dodge or block the deadly attack herself. Still rooted in their own respective places from before, Sam and Evelyn also appeared to be in a state of shock.


    They were currently standing closer to Jaco than the Demon. But that could barely be considered a small comfort when their only hope was now at death¡¯s door. For a couple moments, the only sound was the Angel¡¯s haggard breathing, and the Demon seemed to just be satisfied with happily drinking it all in.


    Close to Sam¡¯s side, there was an ever-so-slight change to the air. Jaco was the first one to notice as his gut instincts warned about the wrongness of its movement. Evelyn, standing closer to Sam, also seemed to notice just a moment later.


    That was when Levi appeared out of thin air. His blade was already moving, and surrounded by a light-blue aura. Its edge moved for his own sister¡¯s neck as his eyes coldly looked at her with full intent to kill.


    With a blur of movement, Evelyn¡¯s shoulder slammed into Sam before the latter even realized what was happening. There was a spray of blood as Levi slashed across Evelyn¡¯s chest. Yet even while moving as fast as possible, the Warrior had still been just a bit too slow to get Sam fully out of harm¡¯s way.


    With the full arc of his blade, Levi still managed to catch his sister on the side of her arm. Sam hit the ground with a groan as blood trickled out of her wound. But despite her far worse injury, Evelyn didn¡¯t succumb to the pain and tried to thrust her own sword straight into the heart of the Chosen¡¯s leader.


    ¡°NO!¡± Jaco cried out. At the same time as Evelyn¡¯s counterattack, he raised his own hand and shot out a beam of concentrated flames.


    With a sneer, Levi slammed his foot into Evelyn¡¯s navel and kicked her back before she could stab him. He then leapt backward and just barely managed to get away as Jaco¡¯s beam only managed to graze him across the chest.


    ¡°Tsk! Couldn¡¯t even get rid of the squishy caster first,¡± Levi mumbled to himself. His voice was low, but Jaco¡¯s hearing still allowed him to catch what was said.


    Yet before the Druid could release another onslaught of fire, Levi looked at him with what could only be described as a shit-eating grin. And a second later, he once again was simply gone. Jaco¡¯s ears desperately focused on trying to locate the other man¡¯s footsteps or any other noises he might make, but there was none to speak of.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Even in the next couple of seconds, Levi didn¡¯t reappear to finish off Sam and Evelyn. Which was something that didn¡¯t make sense, given the circumstances. Jaco didn¡¯t know what kind of plan was going through his head, but he seemed to be toying with them at this point.


    As the exchange occurred, the Impure Iranes had only glanced at them for a moment before turning back to the heavily wounded Angel. Despite its ongoing lack of any actual facial expressions, its amusement was clear as day.


    It was a cat that believed it could now kill off its prey at any moment of its choosing. The monster seemed to enjoy drawing things out and relishing both the agony and plight of its ancient enemy.


    ¡°Ah, choices, choices. Should I finish you off now and let your final thoughts be the knowledge that these humans will soon die due to your failure? Or should I kill them before you, and then kill you after you¡¯ve seen them perish one by one?¡± the Demon asked out loud.


    ¡°Hmm, or perhaps rather than do it myself, I should have our human kill the others? Then you get to watch as one of the beings you love kills his own kind while using Heaven¡¯s gift to humanity. Mmmm, it really is such a hard decision to make. Each one has its own flavor of despair to drink, all three appealing in their own special way.¡±


    It was then that Jaco heard something, or rather several somethings, coming toward them. His frown somehow twisted downward even further as he recognized the sounds.


    To make an already dire situation even worse, more Demidemons were currently on the way and would soon be upon them. It sounded like a mix of both Taurlings and Minotaurs. But considering how bad just the Demon by itself was, the exact composition of the incoming reinforcements didn¡¯t actually matter.


    Things were more or less as bad as they could be even without the extra monsters on their way. The Guardian Angel was on her last legs while Evelyn was also pretty badly injured. Though Jaco wasn¡¯t really hurt, he had already burnt through a big chunk of his Mana just to rapidly take out the pair of Minotaurs. Which meant that of their group, Sam was probably the one who was overall in the best condition.


    Even so, the Druid didn¡¯t give up just quite yet. His mind was still racing for a solution that could get them all out alive. He mentally searched through everything he knew was currently inside his Bag of Holding. Would the Bag of Mist help to secure a path of escape?


    No, releasing it would take too long and wouldn¡¯t cover a large enough area. The Demon could easily just fly overhead and wait for them to pop out, and could quickly figure it out if they tried to hide underground or something like that within its range.


    He then sifted through everything else in his possession. Was there anything in the armory of Infernal artifacts that could possibly aid them now? He had all sorts of weapons and armor, so surely there had to be something that might help, right? Yet no matter how much Jaco racked his brain at that moment, nothing substantial came to mind. Any item he thought of was just as quickly dismissed. Nothing would work.


    It was at the same time that a smaller voice in his mind made itself known. The idea it brought up was an inherently shameful one. But this was when his animalistic instincts worked against him by making Jaco unable to fully put it down. To better ensure a greater chance for his own survival, he could try to escape on his own.


    If he chugged down the Hell Elixir that boosted his Agility and perhaps transformed into a bird first, then maybe he could make it. It would mean abandoning those who¡¯d fought and bled beside him. But even if it further guaranteed their own deaths, it could at least mean that he might live. However, although his instincts made the idea impossible to fully ignore, Jaco refused to actually entertain the thought. There was simply no world in which he¡¯d actually go through with such a thing.


    As he continued to try and put that desire down and think of something else, Jaco¡¯s attention was then drawn elsewhere. The Angel had taken a deep breath before pushing herself off her spear. Her legs were visibly wobbly for a moment in the attempt to hold her weight on their own without the support. But her face then hardened with newfound determination as she steeled herself.


    The Angel glanced back to look between Jaco and his companions. She gave them a small nod before returning her gaze to the Demon in front of her.


    ¡°You ask which option you should pursue? This one says none of them! May the Creator witness this lowly servant as she fulfills one last purpose! As long as blood flows within this body, no harm shall fall upon these humans!¡± the Angel cried out.


    She held her spear up high as her form momentarily flashed with even greater light than she had shown before. Even the silver blood flowing out of her temporarily shone in golden splendor. The Guardian Angel then looked back at them once again.


    ¡°Go now! This one shall hold them off!¡± she declared as the light again began to fade.


    ¡°An arrogant statement from an Angel already dead on her feet. You think you can even defend yourself, much less protect them? Foolish girl, nothing you can possibly do in your state could stop me from just killing them here and now,¡± the Impure Iranes said.


    Yet at that moment, Jaco couldn¡¯t help but notice something. As the monster from Hell was speaking, it had actually taken half a step away from the Angel. So while its words said one thing, its body¡¯s actions said the opposite far more loudly.


    It was then that Jaco too understood what the Demon was feeling. Not from the instincts granted to him as a Druid, but instead from the effects of the Devil¡¯s Essence that had fundamentally changed his species into that of a Hell-Touched Human. It warned him of how any Angel would be at their most dangerous when backed into a corner.


    But when it was a Guardian Angel willing to die as the final line of defense between her foes and those she wished to protect? That was all the more dangerous and worthy of caution. Despite whatever arrogant exterior the Demon presented on the outside, its own instincts would make it wary of acting too rashly. And if nothing else, it was this innate hesitation that would give the three of them a chance to make it out.


    At that moment, Jaco couldn¡¯t hesitate any longer.


    ¡°Sam, grab Evelyn now!¡± he yelled out as he started to run toward them. A hand slapped into his bag and pulled out a Hell Elixir that was immediately downed. While Jaco moved, his body once again began to grow larger. By the time he reached them, he¡¯d finished the transformation into a bear and now had his Agility temporarily raised.


    Jaco then stomped his foot and raised a pillar of earth directly under their feet, closer to his back. Quickly understanding his intent, Sam held onto Evelyn as she jumped onto his back. There wasn¡¯t enough time to let them get into a comfortable position. The instant he felt them land, Jaco turned around and made a break for it.


    ¡°For the Creator!¡± the Angel yelled from behind them. Just a moment later, an explosion echoed throughout the area. The fighting had clearly begun.


    Jaco didn¡¯t dare turn around to see how she fared against the Demon, Levi, and the incoming Demidemons. He didn¡¯t even know if Levi was currently behind him or was instead helping his Hellish master face the Angel. Jaco just focused everything he had on running as fast as his legs could physically go and then some.


    He ran and ran, making a beeline through the streets. The Druid didn¡¯t bother to try and throw off any pursuers by making any sudden turns. He didn¡¯t even know if there were any, all of his senses were solely focused on just moving as quickly as possible. All he desired was to go in a straight line toward the city¡¯s edge.


    The streets and their intersections passed by in a blur. Soon he ran through a recognizable bit of woods that marked the inner edge of the perimeter. But Jaco continued to just run without slowing down quite yet.


    Even after they eventually left the city, Jaco remained in his bear form. In the face of his size and Strength, the two women on his back could barely be considered a carry-on load, not heavy enough to think about. He continued to move with speed in mind, fearing the potential threat that might still be following and could appear at any moment.


    But at the same time, he now tried to be a bit gentler in his movements for Evelyn¡¯s sake. While her Stats should guarantee that anything not already proven fatal should go through a full recovery in time, he didn¡¯t want to agitate her current wounds beyond what he couldn¡¯t help. Yet if something did chase after them, the Druid was already prepared to let go of that bit of comfort as a lesser priority.


    Fortunately, nothing came after them. No Minotaurs chased them on the ground, nor did the Demon appear in the skies. So with the danger left behind, at least for the time being, the exhausted trio hurriedly made their way back to the camp. For the sooner everything they¡¯d recently experienced could be shared, the better.

 Chapter 76: (Book 2 Epilogue)

    Upon reaching the camp, things moved pretty quickly. At first, their arrival was met with excitement, as people had anxiously awaited their return. But that initial wave of excitement just as quickly turned into concern as the injuries of Jaco¡¯s two companions were noticed. Of course, the pair were quickly taken away for medical attention.


    While Sam¡¯s own injuries weren¡¯t as severe, the wound on her arm was still pretty deep. And as a Mage who inherently had pretty poor Endurance for her Level, she was also in need of emergency treatment. This left Jaco alone to report back to Noah and the other top members. Wasting little time, he made his way through the crowd and went straight for the usual meeting area.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back! How did¡­¡± Noah began as Jaco entered. But after looking up to see the Druid¡¯s solemn expression, he¡¯d stopped himself.


    ¡°What happened out there?¡± the camp leader asked. Nobody else was present at the moment. Yet even though it was just the two of them, Jaco went ahead and took a seat to begin sharing the story.


    ¡°Things¡­ are pretty bad. Before you ask, both Sam and Evelyn are injured, but they¡¯ve already gone to get looked at and should be fine after enough rest. Honestly? It¡¯s just a miracle that we¡¯re even alive at this point,¡± Jaco started with a heavy sigh.


    Noah¡¯s brows furrowed, already looking serious. ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°That bad,¡± he agreed. ¡°The System prompt said that Demidemons can frequently cross through, and the city was full of them. But that barely even matters compared to what we came across. Noah, there¡¯s an actual Demon there. One whose Level I couldn¡¯t even see. The only reason it didn¡¯t kill us was because of an Angel who''s¡­ probably dead.¡± Jaco¡¯s voice cracked a bit at that last part.


    The camp leader stood up and walked around the table. He placed a hand on the Druid¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°It¡­ it sounds like you¡¯ve been through a lot. You came straight here after getting back, right? I¡¯ll go ahead and get the others. So you just take a few minutes to rest, alright? Then, if you think you¡¯re still up for it, you can explain what happened without having to repeat yourself afterwards. I''ll even bring you something hot to eat while you talk, so just sit tight.¡±


    Jaco took a deep breath, and then nodded. Overall, he really was still pretty haggard and hadn¡¯t taken the chance to fully relax his rigid body yet. A few minutes of alone time to compose himself and then enjoying a warm meal soon would likely do him a lot of good. Especially when he¡¯d need to take the explanation from the top after everyone arrived, so that they could all hear everything that happened from the start.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He could only hope that sharing everything would even make a difference. Because if the Demon¡¯s power was any indication, there was every chance that they were screwed no matter what they did. But Jaco couldn¡¯t say that out loud. He knew that people looked up to him as the highest-Level person around.


    No matter how bleak things looked, he had a responsibility to uphold. No matter what happened, he was a Druid. And these people were the lives that he would remain the guardian of. Whatever happened next, he would give his all for this small garden of humanity and not allow himself to be the first to lose hope.


    ¡ª--


    Back in the city, a lone individual made his way toward one of the few mostly intact buildings still around. A rare commodity, but one that he usually enjoyed making use of. Today was no day for any sort of joy, however.


    With a deep scowl, he traced a finger against his chest. Even after the bit of time that had already passed, Levi still felt the blisters of burnt skin underneath his armor. The fact that just a light graze did this much spoke volumes of the heat that had been within those flames.


    The leader of the Chosen Few then steadied his expression. After receiving the signal, his followers should already be waiting inside of the building. It would do no good to show any loss in composure if he wanted to maintain their fear and respect.


    After inhaling deeply, Levi walked in. Those waiting had already been chattering amongst themselves as per usual. But the moment they took notice of him entering, all conversations ceased. As he approached the table of gathered individuals, Levi internally nodded to himself.


    Everyone was here. Though that was to be expected, as anyone not dead would be a fool not to answer the call. They were all painfully aware by now of what¡¯d happen to those who didn¡¯t show up when he summoned them for a meeting.


    Levi took his place at the head of the table. There were a few notable absences compared to the last major meeting they had. Specifically in the form of a trio of Chosen Few who had been killed by a certain Druid. The thought of that man made the fresh burn ache, triggering an unintentional twitch of Levi¡¯s left eye.


    The leader of the Chosen clasped his hands together. ¡°Now, then. I know that some of you may have questions about the Demidemons roaming around and other recent changes. Put those concerns away for another day. Right now, the agenda has one thing and one thing only.¡±


    He glanced around, mentally daring anyone to challenge his statement. While it would put them down one member, he would happily take an excuse to take out his frustrations on someone. For better or worse, however, a moment of silence passed without anyone speaking up.


    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll cut straight to it.¡± Levi adopted a cold smile. ¡°They¡¯ve been given long enough to stew on their fate. The day¡¯s come to deal with that camp once and for all. This time, I will personally ensure that we don¡¯t suffer any screwups that fail to do their part.¡±


    Last time, it¡¯d just been business. He had even been nice enough to give his sister an out. Now, however, it was personal. And when they started, Levi planned to make certain that there would be no survivors.

 Chapter 77:

    Jaco looked around at everyone who¡¯d just been gathered together. There was Noah, of course, the leader of the encampment. Alongside him were nearly all the key figures amongst both their top members and strongest fighters. Nearly all, as Sam was still recovering from her injuries and needed a bit more time to just rest.


    But aside from her, the Druid saw plenty of familiar faces in the group. On one side were Adam and Burt, the Scout and Warrior who once worked with Sam as a trio of scavengers. Though they hadn¡¯t gone out together for a while, Sam became focused on working directly with Noah as an administrator of the camp and its needs. And with the last attack from the Chosen with the undead horde, the two men hadn¡¯t gotten the chance to do much beyond just patrolling the immediate vicinity.


    Then sitting off to the other side, there was Alex. Out of everyone within the camp, the young man was one of those who¡¯d been transformed more than most by the Apocalypse. He¡¯d gone from a relatively meek teenager to a Warrior that was both on the camp¡¯s highest Level elites and acted as a leader to the other youth who wanted to do their part.


    There were the others present as well. Jaco was at least passingly familiar with the top members of the encampment. Though several he would just call himself politely acquainted with, and didn¡¯t think too much of them beyond that.


    ¡°So, now that everyone¡¯s here, I guess I should begin. Although¡­¡± Jaco looked at Noah. ¡°I think some people know what happened the last time I left the camp from secondhand accounts. But do you think I should go ahead and take things from the top and start with some context? Or just get straight to the point of what happened while we were just in the city?¡±


    Noah leaned back into his seat. ¡°Hmm. Are we in any kind of rush? Because if not, then there¡¯s no harm in making sure that everyone¡¯s on the same page¡±


    The Druid considered the idea. It was true that they would need to act sooner rather than later. However, he wouldn¡¯t say it was to the point that every second counted. He¡¯d seen how quickly the Demon could fly and move around. If it had wanted to chase after them, it would have easily reached the camp before even they would have. And considering that it still hadn¡¯t shown up since their arrival, it seemed that they had at least a little breathing room.


    ¡°Right, then I guess I¡¯ll take things from the top. As you all likely know, I¡¯ve spent more time away from this camp than staying within it. On the outing before this last one, I checked out the fortress at the center of the city. There, I fought the Minotaur. And in doing so, I freed a little girl that turned out to be an Angel. One who basically teleported me out of the fort and city entirely while I was weakened from my battle with the Minotaur,¡± Jaco began.


    One man then raised his hand. A Martial Artist, judging by his gi. ¡°This Minotaur is a Demidemon, right? I¡¯m just double checking because of that System prompt from just a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Jaco said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll get to that in a moment, but yeah. As for what happened after the fort, that¡¯s when I met Evelyn. At the same time, that¡¯s when the Chosen Few launched their attack. I only noticed what was happening when I took to the skies and then saw the fires and hordes of undead.¡±


    The faces of those present became grim. With the attack having only been several days ago, it was still fresh on all their minds. A moment of silence filled the room. A few people glanced around at the others who were gathered. Had the attack not happened, the room would be occupied by more top members of the camp.


    However, said members were amongst the many who died during the Chosen¡¯s attack. That, or they were part of the chunk of people who deserted and never returned. Due to how many corpses were ruined beyond recognition, it was impossible to truly say which was which.


    ¡°Anyway. At the end of the attack, that¡¯s when I along with many of you met the leader of the Chosen Few. A man named Levi. After that, of course, was the time we spent rebuilding. But then that brings us to this morning. When the rainstorm suddenly appeared, and brought that swarm of Spectres with it, the Druid continued.


    ¡°Ah right. While you guys were in the city, did you learn anything about the Spectres? I know our main concern was the Demidemons, but I¡¯m curious to know if you found anything about what happened with those ghosts?¡± Noah asked.


    Jaco shook his head. ¡°Nah, not really. Granted, we didn¡¯t actually get to spend much time there before we had to leave. But as for how or what caused those Spectres, or why they focused on certain individuals over others, I don¡¯t have anything for you. If an explanation is actually out there somewhere, we didn¡¯t find it.¡±


    The leader of the camp just nodded. He then motioned for Jaco to continue from where he¡¯d been cut-off, which he did.


    ¡°Right. So after we dealt with the Spectres, we all got that same warning from the System about the next stage of the Apocalypse. Since it was about how Demidemons would be able to increase in their frequency of appearance, we decided to investigate. Sam, Evelyn, and I left together to check out the city and see just how bad things would be. And how that would impact us here. Which¡­ it¡¯s bad.¡±


    A worried look was shared by the camp members. They glanced at each other, clearly unnerved by the grave words just spoken. If they hadn¡¯t been concerned before, they certainly were now.


    ¡°So¡­ just how bad is bad? Like on a scale from one to ten?¡± Adam questioned from the side.


    Jaco only took a moment to think about the answer before he looked the Scout in the eyes. ¡°Ten out ten, easily. Maybe even eleven, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to-¡± the Warrior from before began to ask. But he was cut-off by Noah as the leader raised his hand.


    ¡°Please, let¡¯s remain calm and not panic.¡± He then returned his gaze to the Druid. ¡°Jaco. Could you please explain what that means in more detail? I know that before this meeting was called, you already gave me a summary of the worst of it. But for the sake of everyone else here, can you tell us just exactly what it is that you three found out there?¡±


    ¡°Right. When we went in, I expected an influx of Demidemons as the System warned us about. What I saw was even worse than I expected though. Now there¡¯s a bunch of the Demidemons known as Taurlings. As for what those are, just think of them as the weaker cousins of Minotaurs. And then that is Minotaurs, plural. Because even though only a short amount of time passed between the System prompt and us getting there, several Minotaurs were already wandering the streets as well. However¡­¡± Jaco took a deep breath.


    ¡°If it was just that, I wouldn¡¯t be nearly as worried. When we all hear the word ¡®Demidemon¡¯ I¡¯m sure we all asked ourselves the same question at some point. If those exist, then what about normal Demons? Well, despite the System not mentioning those at all, that¡¯s exactly what we encountered,¡± he said.


    ¡°You don''t actually mean¡­¡± Burt said with wide eyes.


    ¡°Yes, an actual Demon from Hell itself. One who''s much higher than me in Level, because I couldn¡¯t even see it. We only saw one. But even just that single Demon honestly scared me more than anything else we¡¯ve seen so far.¡± Jaco¡¯s heart quickened within his chest as he still held the very fresh memories of facing what felt like absolute death.


    The Druid sighed, and tried to compose himself. ¡°How we actually ran into it is also important. As we were exploring the city, we spotted Levi, the Chosen¡¯s Few leader. He was speaking with a pair of Minotaurs and seemed to be on friendly terms with them. With how obviously suspicious that was, I decided to follow him to find out more. After we did that for a bit, that¡¯s when the Demon appeared, as if it came out of thin air. And then it didn¡¯t take long for it to notice me, even with my stealth Ability.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°Did it just let you go, then? If it¡¯s so strong, there¡¯s no way you actually tried to fight something like that, right?¡± A female Scout asked.


    ¡°We escaped, but not on our own. Remember that little girl that turned out to be an Angel. I guess she must have been keeping tabs on me, because just before the Demon struck, she appeared to protect us. It¡¯s only thanks to her that we managed to slip away and run. Though¡­ she might be dead now for all I know. The last I saw was her being heavily injured while Demidemon reinforcements were showing up.


    ¡°I can only hope that she also managed to escape after we did. But honestly? I have no idea if she¡¯s still alive, or if she sacrificed herself to let us run. We managed to kill a couple of Minotaurs on our way out. But both Levi and that Demon are still out there. And since it sounds like Levi is working directly under the Demon, we can only assume the worst for what kind of artifacts or other benefits the Chosen will receive from it.¡±


    Another moment of silence befell the room, this one even heavier than the first. Nobody was sure exactly how to react or what to say next. In the face of Jaco effectively acting as the prophet who just shared a gloomy fate filled with doom, just what exactly could one even say to that? Eventually, however, Noah was the first to react by standing up from his seat.


    ¡°Alright. As we all process everything Jaco just shared, I think it¡¯s time that I check up on Sam. There¡¯s something that I have in mind, but I would like her input first. Since her injuries weren¡¯t as bad, she should hopefully have been tended to by now. But I¡¯ll check to see if she¡¯s feeling recovered enough to join us yet. I should be back in just a few minutes, so I¡¯ll ask that you all wait here and remain calm.¡±


    The Druid watched as the leader of the camp left the meeting space. Some people entered into their own conversations, though when he glanced around, it didn¡¯t seem like anyone was going to approach him. Maybe they just didn¡¯t really need anything from him at the moment. Or perhaps it was a token of respect and assumption that Jaco would like to be left alone if something wasn¡¯t necessary. Either way, he could appreciate the ability to currently keep his personal space to himself.


    But to pass the time, Jaco decided to open up the golden screen for his personal Sheet. He had to hastily dismiss all his prior notifications as he¡¯d been too busy to let them distract him. But now was as good of a time as any to see what gains he had made from the last fight.


    General Info:


    Species: Hell-Touched Human


    Level: 47


    Class: Druid


    Evolution: True Shifter


    Secondary Class: Blight Warlock


    Level: 26


    Stats:


    Strength: 190


    Agility: 106


    Endurance: 146


    Will: 140


    Spell Power: 188


    Unspent Points: 3


    Class Abilities:


    Passive: Animal Instincts


    Passive: One with Nature


    Passive: Permanent Aspect One


    Passive: Wild Constitution


    Active: Lesser Elemental Offense


    Active: Minor Plant Control


    Active: Lesser Beast Transformation


    Active: Minor Primal Ferocity


    Active: Lesser Shapeshift


    Active: Lesser Manifestation of the Wild Elemental


    Secondary Class Abilities:


    Active: Lesser Pestilent Swarm


    Active: Lesser Zone of Blight


    Active: Lesser Rotting Summon


    One Level to his Main Class, and nine Levels to his Secondary Class. That was the progress Jaco had made from the Experience gained by killing the two Minotaurs in the last fight. And with him dumping all his prior Unspent Points into Strength, it had eked its way into just barely being his new top Stat.


    Yet as nice as the gains were as another step forward, it still brought up a confusing thought. How the System decided to actually split the Experience Points, he had no clue. As far as just the raw number of Levels gained, his Secondary Class was the clear winner by a mile. However, he still couldn¡¯t help but once again wonder how the System actually worked to determine these things.


    When Jaco had killed the first Minotaur, he had only gained two Levels despite there being a dozen Levels difference between them. Now he compared that to the Minotaur that he¡¯d fought soon after entering the city alongside Sam and Evelyn.The one that he had used the Hell Crossbow to heavily injure before Sam was actually the person who had dealt the killing blow.


    For that Demidemon, it¡¯d been Level 49 while the Druid was Level 44 at the time. So that was a difference of only five Levels between him and it. Alongside the fact that he¡¯d fought it with two others, and hadn¡¯t been the one to finish it off for the kill. Yet after it died, the Experience Points Jaco earned had also earned him¡­ two Levels.


    On the surface, it just didn¡¯t make sense. There was a huge difference in the factors between those two battles, and yet the reward for him was basically the same for both. Jaco had spent quite a bit of idle time thinking about how little he¡¯d earned in that fight against the first Minotaur, relatively speaking. For it to be his greatest obstacle to ever overcome, the Experience just didn¡¯t seem to match that fact. Yet at the same time¡­ what if it actually did make perfect sense?


    Jaco decided to construct a scenario within his mind. One that might lead him to finally crafting a decent theory of his own for how Levels and Experience worked within the System. Just exactly how did it handle large gaps in Levels between two people?


    For example, let¡¯s say that someone who was only Level 11 fought and won against a Level 50 monster. This feat would likely be impossible to actually achieve, but let¡¯s hypothetically assume it happened anyway. If this individual did so without any cheap tricks, third party interference, or any other shenanigans, how many Levels would they gain?


    One would assume that it would be many. That this person would jump up by at least a couple dozen Levels in one go, at the very minimum. And it would, of course, make sense for that to be the case.


    But then what if there was a second scenario. One between the same person and monster and with the same difference in Levels. But instead of a fair fight, the lower Level individual pulled out some bullshit that would actually let them win. Like some super powerful artifact that had enough power to obliterate any foe, and was already fully charged by the time it fell into the weaker person¡¯s hands.


    In that case, would the System actually view both scenarios equally? Would fighting fairly to do the seemingly impossible give the same amount of Experience Points as a victory gained by using something far stronger as what¡¯d basically be considered a crutch?


    A while ago, Jaco thought that perhaps it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. He used his fair share of artifacts, and knew that the Chosen Few did too. That Warrior had made liberal use of the wand that shot out balls of fire, after all. And he hadn¡¯t seemed to fall behind in Levels when compared to his peers.


    But what if there actually was a demerit to relying on artifacts? One that didn¡¯t seem noticeable to Experience gain when fighting enemies relatively close to your one Level, but became more obvious as you tried to punch above your weight class.


    Jaco knew that he only won against the Level 50 Minotaur due to downing the Hell Elixirs. If he hadn¡¯t and tried to play it safe to avoid the deadly side effect in their description, he would certainly not be standing here today. So what if the System actually took notice of that fact and took it into account? That it could actually recognize that the Hell Elixirs basically carried him, and penalized his Experience gain as a consequence.


    Now as for why it would do such a thing when the System was meant to help humanity? He had no idea. This wasn¡¯t a video game where balance mattered, but a war for their own survival. If he¡¯d been the one to design the System, Jaco would obviously have given every advantage to the people it was intended to assist.


    I think I¡¯m on the right track, in any case. Though there¡¯s still too many factors that are just questions without answers. Like if I¡¯m right about the Hell Elixirs, does it matter more because they¡¯re consumable? Like how does relying on those compare to me using the Hell Crossbow or any other artifact like my staff? Jaco asked himself.


    The Druid was pulled from his thoughts as Noah made his return. Entering from directly behind him was Sam. And then behind her, someone unexpected had also come to join in on the meeting.


    Evelyn was the one who had received the most grievous injuries. Her expression was a grimace as her face was clearly covered in sweat. And while the bandaging peeking through the gaps in her armor made it even more clear that she had yet to recover, the Warrior seemed at least able to move around on her own.


    Jaco just gave all three of them a nod as they entered. With a small gesture, he went ahead and also made an additional seat for Evelyn to use.


    ¡°So,¡± Noah began as he sat down. ¡°Jaco told the rest of us about what happened out there. But for this, I wanted everyone¡¯s input. With the information they gathered in mind, what are we going to do next?¡±